Twisted Experimentation
by phoenix catcher
Summary: Complete. Harry/Alec. Transgenic:Harry. Dark Angel Universe. Harry is given up by the Dursleys and brought up to never know his true nature but only how to wage a war that was never meant for him. All he knows is that his family are the most important thing.
1. X5 862

Twisted Experimentation

Disclaimer; I don't own either Harry Potter or Dark Angel but I do own any plot that is does not match any story in either is my own.

Chapter 1; X5-862

**Manticore 2002**

Two Doctors stood over a small year and a half year old child placed on a metal table. The baby didn't make a sound though it was wide awake. It hadn't been long since it had first awoken on the door step of a house in England but already it had learnt that people listened to his cries no longer. Shaggy black hair half shaded a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt and piercing green eyes stared dolefully up at the two men as they studied his charts.

"Designation is X5-331974327862." One said. "Current genetic structure shows magical abilities. Command wanted it analysed for potential use in the other X-5's."

They fussed for a time over the results of the tests on their clipboards before the second spoke. "We could remove his ability to consciously control his magic and harness it to only work internally and create an antibody to try on the other X-5's."

"To what end?" The younger questioned.

"Resistance to long term magical energies." The second, older one, said before checking through his notes again. "We'll have to remove that scar, it's too distinguishable." He lowered his clipboard and smirked. "This one will be one of my best creations. Begin Genetic alterations immediately."

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Some weeks later**

"Alterations are complete, sir." The old man said over the unconscious body of X5-862, the newest addition to the X-5 class. "He should be on par with the others of his class and the magical strain will give him enhanced healing and deeper sensory resolution than the others but he has no ability to control his magic on a conscious level. Just like you asked, Sir."

"Good, I don't want an unpredictable fighter." A younger, arrogant man spoke. "What of your research into resistance to the magical energies?"

"I've looked into it and it'll take time but doesn't present any obvious problems so far." He reported.

The leader turned to a lowly doctor standing back from the table. "Take him to the others in his age and class." He snapped. "Good work, Doctor."

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Manticore 2009**

_862 gasped as water started to flood first his mouth and then his lungs. He groped at the sheet of glass that restricted his ability to get at the delicious oxygen on the other side. He could see the hazy outline of an army instructor watching him and also several of his brothers and sisters struggling, resisting the orders that kept them from helping him. Already the other two being tested were lying on the ground outside their tanks gasping for air._

_He frowned when the Instructor did nothing to get him out, even though he had lasted longer than his two brothers and was near to drowning. Water filled his lung as he scrambled for the lid for even a pocket of air. Darkness began to creep in around his peripheral vision and his limbs began to get heavy._

"_862!" One of his sisters' yelled out even though she would never have spoken out of turn even if he was close to drowning._

"862!" His eyes snapped open and he shot up with a gasp. 452 was shaking him, her eyes wide as he came awake and alert in almost the same instant. X-5 weren't supposed to be weak enough to have nightmares. Their bunk room was dark with only the red backlighting showing any features on her face. "Were you dreaming about last week again?"

He nodded as he looked around the room to see if he had woken any of the other nine year olds, being awake after lights out was against the rules, let alone being out of bed or talking like 452 was right now. He saw that 599 was also awake on the bunk on the other side of him to 452's. He was looking at him with concern but he made no motion to rise. Just having one of them out of bed was bad enough. "Get back in bed 452 before you get us all in trouble." He whispered harshly making her follow the request instantly. She lay down and he put his own head on the pillow just as she pulled her blanket up to her chin. He shut his eyes trying to get the memory of water in his lung out of his mind. He glanced over first to 599 on his left who was still watching him carefully and then he tilted his head back to 452 who was looking straight at the ceiling. He drew in his breath and said the one thing they had been trained was never necessary. "Thanks Max."

She looked at him and smiled slightly before closing her eyes to return to her sleep. 862 just sighed. Their main Instructor had never liked him because he was modified rather than born like the others he roomed with. They held him to higher expectations for, it seemed, no other reason other than their dislike for him. Worse than that was all of the other X-5's knew it. He had come to hate pity and the others who knew him in his section knew that so only ever helped him if he could last without them. He hated that too.

But no matter how much he hated their pity and help they were first and foremost his brothers and sisters, his family. Max and Zack most of all.

862 didn't sleep that night, his training nagged at him like it always did after he recalled any of the worst sessions. They were trained through almost every hour of every day but the same men, through every conceivable type of combat training. Their physical skills were tested and their thresholds pushed with tasks of ever increasing difficulty, their reactions were tested, their strength, their speed and even how long they could breathe underwater before their bodies began to shut down. Ever since he could remember that had been his life and never once had he seen or heard news of the world that must stretch beyond the high fences and armed guards that made up his home.

The day's tests and training ran as smoothly as they ever did. They were drilled out in the snow by their instructors, forced to run through obstacle courses half buried in snow and ice. Nothing was different to show that this day would change their small family's life forever. Nothing to show that 862's world could get any worse.

That night he had another nightmare except this time it wasn't just Zack and Max that he awoke. By the time Max had shook him awake all of the X-5 they bunked with were awake, twenty nine-year-old faces were watching him and most horrifically was two the faces of two guards as they stormed down the isle between the bunks with batons at the ready. He shoved Max back against her own bunk, getting a startled "Riley!" out of her, so she was in the clear and swung his legs off the bed.

He needn't have bothered however since his sweat soaked sheets tangled around his legs making it easy for the first guard to deal a blow to his chest that knocked the wind from him and before he could retaliate another blow struck his hip and they grabbed him by the arms and began hauling him from the room. Just before his sight was obscured by the closing door he saw Zack whispering frantically with Max and several of the others.

It wasn't until he woke in an isolation room the next morning that he had any idea that anything had happened out of the ordinary apart from his own situation. One of his instructors walked into the room and Riley snapped himself to attention. "It looks like they left you behind." The military sergeant began though his comment only confused him. No sign of that confusion showed on his face however. X-5's didn't show emotion. "Were you just the decoy then?"

Riley almost frowned but held it in as the man continued. "Run away haven't they. Twenty in all managed to escape when those lackwits left room 2 unguarded. Though we did get the others back though two had to be terminated."

This comment however forced an outburst from Riley. Though it wasn't anything remotely like sadness as far as the instructor was concerned. Two of his family dead.

"The Doctors aren't very impressed with you 862. You let your emotions get the better of you and cost us two X-5's, not to mention another twelve if we don't get them back." He continued ignoring Riley's silence. "Looks like you were betrayed and abandoned like the worthless waste that you are. Your punishment will be isolation for no less than two months on minimum sustenance. Understand, 862?"

Riley couldn't ignore this question. "Understood, Sir!"

Before he could even think the sergeant's baton struck him across the knees, sending him painfully to his knees. Another strike hit his upper back sending him face first into the cold stone floor. He only heard the door close through the ringing in his ear because of his enhanced hearing and by the time he could get enough energy to turn that was he was alone again. He crawled across the floor, trying to keep his weight off of his throbbing knees, and collapsed in the corner and curled into a tight ball as he struggled through his changing world.

There was no other way to look at it. His family had used his removal from the room as a diversion for their own escape. They hadn't stuck together like Max and Zack had promised. Max and Zack and all those others had taken the chance to save themselves without even a thought his way and now he had it so much worse then they had ever had it before. For the first time since Max and Zack had helped him choose a name, he was disgusted by the thought of ever answering to Riley again. He'd answer to nothing other than 862 until the day he was killed.

XOXOXOXOX

**Manticore 2020**

Life had never got much easier for 862. His first time in the isolation rooms when he was nine had taught him that by following orders he could avoid the punishment that always came his way. He was still pushed harder than the others though now that they were nearly twenty the others were pushed harder than they used to be. Failure wasn't something that was ever tolerated and through almost two decades of training failure was very rarely possible for them.

He still had nightmares though his body had learnt to hide them in the same way the other X-5's did. Silently struggling through sleep with only a rapid increase in breathing to show that they were dreaming at all. His room mate, 494, had the same problems as himself, he was one of the best so he was held to higher expectations. Alec, as he called himself even though 862 couldn't bring himself to use his name, was supposed to have been 452's breeding partner but because they still hadn't found her or the others that had escaped ten years ago he was now on the mission list along with 862.

862 had never actually gone on a mission before, he'd been out of the complex on training missions in old abandoned towns and villages, hunting other X-5's for experience but never had he been sent into the real world. 494 had though, he'd gone on a mission and even though 862 wasn't sure what had been the objectives he had noticed that 494 had been gone for a long time, almost three months, and had returned changed. He'd been upset although only 862 had noticed since he spent so much of his time with the other X-5, he'd also heard 494 muttering in his nightmares and had caught the name 'Rachel' several times as well has almost silent screams of distress. He never brought it up and never hinted that he knew as much as he did.

He was now waiting silently in the corner of one of the briefing rooms as several of the Instructors and administrators as they discussed things quietly. He could hear them easily with his enhanced hearing but he paid them no mind. Eavesdropping on your superiors was against the rules. "862. Come forward." The lead Instructor spoke simply. 862 recognised the blond man as Lydecker, Head of operations.

He stepped out of the shadows wearing his bland blue t-shirt and trousers that all of the transgenics wore out of session. He said nothing because he knew it wasn't expected of him to speak, only to follow his orders.

"Your mission is here." Lydecker told him pointing to a small town about twenty miles Northeast of the city of Seattle. "We have heard reports of two possible escaped X-5's in the area. This is a long term mission, your handler will take you to the town and you will find and observe these X-5's. They can't have hidden there without help of some kind, your task is to discover this aid and only when you have exhausted them as information sources will you move in to engage them."

One of the other instructors spoke up. "We would rather you capture them but kill them if you have to." They paused slightly and 862 knew that they wanted to know that he understood his mission so far.

"Understood, Sir!" He directed at Lydecker since he was the most senior in the room.

"You will contact your handler as soon as the task is done. He will bring you back to Manticore for a proper debriefing." Lydecker told him. "You wont fail us will you, 862?"

"No, Sir!" He snapped crisply.

"Good." Lydecker smirked slightly, "Now go and prepare. You move out at 1800 hours. Dismissed."

862 snapped out a salute and turned on his heal and left the room. He remained completely unapproachable until he reached the room he shared with 494 where he sagged down onto his bed and let out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. "What's happening?" 494 asked from his own bed where he was resting from a recent training session that 862 had been taken out of.

862 looked up and smirked at his brother. "I have a mission."

"What is it?" 494 asked.

862 paused, normally you didn't speak about your missions but Lydecker hadn't said that it was confidential. "I'm being sent to hunt two of the X-5 that escaped ten years ago."

"What are you going to do?" 494 didn't harbour the same feelings as 862 when it came to those that had escaped though because he hadn't been in their room that night, nor punished endlessly for the betrayal.

"I'm going to follow my orders!" 862 snapped. "I'll capture or kill them and anyone helping them."

"You would actually kill them?" 494 asked carefully.

"If I have no other choice." 862 nodded. "They used me as a distraction and then left me to take the blame for their actions."

"You'll never forgive them, I understand that." 494 nodded. "But why kill them. They only did what they needed to do."

862 looked at him sharply. "You've changed." He told him bluntly. "Before that mission you would have agreed with me. Now you want me to let them live happy lives whilst we suffer?"

"No!" 494 argued. "Why do you really want to do this? And don't say because those are your orders."

862 shrugged. "Revenge."

XOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	2. Hitting Back

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 2; Hitting back

**A small town northeast of Seattle**

862 looked out over the small town from his vantage point near the river. Only travellers had cars. The locals were suspicious of everyone and everything looked to be in some state of disrepair. Nothing electrical worked unless it was brought into the town with travellers. The centre of town was almost deserted and looked like the last people through it had been looters. Newer buildings had sprung up around the outskirts of the town but they themselves seem to have been built by scrounging bits from other buildings.

Anyone else would just drive straight through on their way to the East unless they paid the locals for bed and board for the night as he would. Unfortunately with a population of only a few hundred he had to be more careful with his cover story than if he was in a larger city like Seattle but his handler had suggested that he just keep it simple and lacking in details as most would.

He walked into the outskirts of the town where the new town seemed to centre. A loud building presented itself as some kind of bar and he walked inside without a second thought. He scanned the room in one glance and didn't instantly see anyone that would pose a serious threat even if most of them stopped to look at him with suspicion. He'd been warned that they wouldn't like outsiders easily but he ignored that for now. He walked up to the bar and placed a twenty dollar bill on the counter.

"A beer?" He asked the bar tender who was waiting expectantly. "And some information if you have it."

"What do you want to know?" The man asked carefully.

"I'm looking for a place to stay for a few weeks tops. Paying for room and board won't be a problem." 862 told him. "Any idea who I can talk to?"

"Michelle over there," The bartender nodded across to a woman sitting with a couple of friends as he placed the beer on the bar. "She has a spare room and might be willing to put you up as long as you're not wanting to cause our town any problems."

"I assure you," 862 responded easily, "I have no intentions of causing this town any trouble."

"Michelle!" The bartender called across the bar getting her attention. She nodded and excused herself from her friends. She sat on the stool next to him and looked expectantly. 862 noticed her lack of drink and pushed his new change back across the bar to the bartender.

"Another of whatever she ordered before." He told him with a small smile. "And keep the rest for your help."

The woman nodded satisfied. "Thank you." She told 862 curtly. "What is it that you needed?"

"I'm meeting a friend out in the mountains in a few weeks and came out early to get some fresh air." He told her easily telling his cover story. "You know how cities can get nowadays. I need a place to stay for a few weeks until he arrives then we'll be moving on."

"Can you pay?" She asked looking at his clothing, they weren't cheap but they were the normal clothing of someone who lived in the city.

He nodded. "I'm not poor. Will six hundred do for the first week?"

"Sure." She said. "Up front. But be warned that we will drive you out of town if you make the least trouble."

"Thanks," He nodded at her with gratitude. "The name's Paul." He told using the name on the faked ID that his handler had given him.

"Michelle. But you already knew that." She shook his hand briefly. "Do you want to go now?"

"I won't complain if you want to finish your evening in peace. It's rare to have a nice peaceful atmosphere like this where I come from." 862 told her. "Let me know when you are finished."

She nodded and moved off and 862 sighed silently, relaxing slightly. Apart from his handler the woman and the bar tender were the first outsiders that he had talked to. "Do you have anything to eat here?" He turned to the bartender who had hung around to listen to their conversation.

"I can make Sausage and Chips for you if you want." He told him. 862 nodded and passed him some more money before standing with his beer and wandering over to an empty table near the back of the room so that he could study the room's occupants. Not one of them was much younger than twenty five so couldn't be the X-5 he was looking for and none of them gave of any of the signs of being a transgenic no matter how subtle they could be.

His food came about twenty minutes later and he ordered another beer before looking at the man with a frown. "Isn't there anyone my age in this town?" He asked though his tone was light and joking.

"Most of the young people your age go into the City to look for work. There are a few though." The bartender thought a while. "There's Seth who lives alone up near the forests. He might pop in later when he brings down the wood he sells from the forest. There's Michael and Cassia, who just came back from the city after they went to try and get work. They live with their mom and lastly I think Zane is your age. He helps around in the village ever since he showed up. He's got a few friends in the city I think. They come in once in a while but they're the only young people your age you'll find here."

862 thanked him before starting on his food as he thought. Unless he missed anyone then Seth and Zane sounded like his targets. The other two were evidently born here if they lived with their mom and they both seemed to be lying low. Seth lived out of the town in seclusion and Zane had contacts in the City, if not both of them had the same friends. Also Zane was a pretty uncommon name and one of his brothers had picked that name for himself. There had also been a Seth amongst his brothers but it was a common name so he couldn't be certain.

He decided to hang around the pub and hope to see Seth and maybe Zane then he'd go up to the forest and see if he couldn't watch Seth as he worked. He hadn't even finished his meal when the door opened again and two young men walked in. They both had dark hair and a wary glance as they surveyed the room. He forcefully relaxed his suddenly tensed posture before they glanced at him obviously taking in the new outsider. Their eyes didn't linger for more than normal on him though he knew he'd been checked out against being a possible threat.

They moved over to the bar and as 862 kept a close eye on them they walked over to a table with their drinks and settled down. He didn't make it obvious that he was paying any particular mind to them as they talked together and kept up the appearance of open curiosity as he looked at everyone in the room to give himself an excuse to keep an eye on them.

The fact that he couldn't he even a whisper from their conversation betrayed them more than any unnatural abilities they might have had. He could hear any whispered conversation in the room even if he couldn't understand the words over the general hubbub of chatter. They were talking so low that a normal human couldn't have heard the words at their distance from each other. Twice they glanced at him but they seemed to dismiss him eventually.

It was another hour before Michelle left with him in tow. He told her all about life in the city, keeping to the things that his handler had suggested and she didn't seem surprised that he kept things vague. According to their sessions in Manticore things had always been like this since the Pulse went off. She pointed out the clock tower that struck out fro the remains of the abandoned town centre.

"I suppose they fixed all the clocks in the City." She said as she pointed. The clock hands were jammed at exactly 12:05. 862 just nodded, he remembered the chaos it had caused within Manticore when all the electrics had gone offline. He imagined that a city would have never really recovered. It had happened only a few months after he had been betrayed.

She lived in a small house but there was a room in the attic that suited his purpose perfectly. It only had the one trap door entrance and a skylight window that he could use to get in and out without his host knowing his movements.

XOXOXOXOX

He spent the rest of the week building up a steady, reliable acquaintance with the local folk. He made sure to stay clear of the transgenics when it came to talking to people since they might catch on that he was like them. That didn't stop him from following them when nobody would miss him. It was difficult to do anything in the town without somebody either seeing him or missing his presence so he kept up the act of being an avid mountain hiker and used that excuse to go for short walks in the forest east of the town. He would simply double back into town and if someone saw him then he would just claim to have arrived back earlier than usual.

Michelle paid his activities no mind and always had left over food for him when he wanted it though he ate little and nothing sweetened at all. She didn't seem concerned about this either but it did save him from having to worry about cooking for himself since, other than ration packs, he had no idea about cooking.

It was mid way through the second week when something interesting happened. He had already decided that they were in fact X5-205 and X5- 465. He had already reported this via his new cell phone to his handler but been told to wait for them to lead him to something useful before capturing them unless they made his identity and tried to run.

He was no following 465, Seth, into the abandoned town centre. Seth kept glancing over his shoulder as if he knew he was being followed or at least just paranoid enough to worry about it. 862 followed him to a beaten up garage with no windows and a bent garage door. 465 slipped under the garage door without touching it and 862 slipped through a side door into what had obviously been the office. He sidled up to the door and window combo that split the office from the workshop where he could hear talking.

He risked a glance through the broken window to confirm that the voices belonged to 465 and 205 and check that nobody else was in the room before crouching behind the door out of sight to listen patiently.

"According to Zack, they've never sent another one of us before. Even into the city." 205 was saying. Obviously he hadn't been as discreet as he thought he'd been. It was inevitable that they would spot him for what he was. Transgenics were just too obvious to another of their kind.

"What does he say now?" 465 asked referring to Zack or 599.

"I don't know. I can't reach him." 205 muttered. "Which is bad in and of its self."

"What about Max?"

"I can't get hold of her either. Which means we can't get any help from Eyes-only either." 862 perked up at this bit of information. He didn't know who this Eyes-only was but maybe his handler would appreciate the information. "Are we sure he's from Manticore?"

"He isn't one of us, that's for sure." 465 muttered bitterly. "And I'm sure he's a transgenic. Hopefully he's not like us though."

"You mean an X-5?" 205 asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, what do you think we should do?" 465 asked.

"I don't buy his story about meeting a friend." 205 thought aloud. "Even if he's an X-5, there are still two of us and only one of him."

"You want to capture him and ask him?" 465 asked sceptically.

"Why not?" 205 shrugged. "We'll sneak up to his room in Michelle's place and get him while he sleeps. We can take him up to my place. Nobody goes up there and the townspeople will just think that he skipped town without saying goodbye. Either way you look at it, we need to act before he reports back to Manticore or makes his own move."

They agreed then and slipped silently from the garage, whilst 862 let them leave unheeded. He was made and that meant he had to move against them, but he would call and make his report to his handler first.

His cell only rang twice before his handler picked it up. Silence greeted him like it was supposed to. "331974327862." He rolled off without pausing.

"862." His handler spoke up at last. "What's your report?"

"205 and 465 have made my identity." He told him without emotion. "They plan to capture and question me tonight. If they find me gone they'll undoubtedly relocate."

"Can you capture both of them?" His handler asked. He wasn't one of his instructors that expected more from him than he could give.

"If I ambush them and at least temporarily stun one I shouldn't have a serious problem." 862 told him confidently.

"Very well," his handler told him. "Capture them and hold them. I'll come into town and collect you and them. Do you have anything else to report?"

"Yes Sir." He said as he left the garage quietly, checking to ensure that 205 and 465 were out of the area. "I believe they are in contact with 599 and 452. And also have had dealings with someone named Eyes-Only through at least 452 though they can't contact him directly."

"Ok, 862." His handler finalised. "Capture these two or kill them if you have to. Call me again once you're finished. I'll be waiting in a blue van five miles along the road towards the Southwest if you need an escape."

"Understood Sir!" 862 said crisply before closing the flip part of the phone and pocketing it in his jacket. He checked for his knife and then made for the small house where 205 lived within the town. It was a gamble but if it paid off he wouldn't have to attack them both and would get the element of surprise both times. He picked the lock easily on the small building and entered and after carefully shutting the door behind him he stood in the shadows within the first room he came to.

He didn't have to wait long before 205 unlocked his door. He was careful as he entered checking for anything that might hint that anybody was there but 862 was already holding his breathing in. They'd at least done what he had guessed they would so far at least. Finding him gone they were returning for their own belongings before skipping town. 205 stepped slowly through his hall. Just before he came level with his room 862 came into motion like a viper attacking. People in these situations almost concentrated more on what could sneak up on them rather than what could attack from in front. Especially since most untrained attackers would wait to attack their enemies back.

He danced around the corner and grabbed 205 by the neck and slammed his head sideways into the wall beside them. It didn't stun the transgenic for long but it was long enough for 862 to pin both his back to the wall and lock his own leg across 205's legs and held his wrists together with his spare hand. 205's eyes cleared as the bleariness from his head hitting the wall cleared. 862 could almost see the curse go through his head at his predicament.

He only put up a token struggle as 862 dragged him into the first room and tied him up with a handy piece of rope to a wooden chair. He made sure that the transgenic had no give in the rope and couldn't escape and tied a rag tightly across his mouth to prevent him from warning anybody before he settled to wait again just across the hall in another room. Now came the bigger gamble. That they had planned to meet outside of town before they left and that when 205 didn't show up 465 would come looking and put him self in a similar trap.

862 knew that any of his brothers still in Manticore wouldn't risk their own life to get another out of captivity like this but it hadn't been drilled into them when the twelve had escaped ten years ago. He had to wait a whole two hours before he heard someone open the already ajar door. He tensed and his breathing went silent again. He'd left 205 in an easy to see place so that 465 would look left rather than right first but he'd had only a second or so to strike before 205 saw through the obvious trap.

465 was actually slightly faster at seeing through the trap than he had betted on and 862's strike hit him on the shoulder as he danced sideways instead of hitting the back of his neck like he'd planned. The blow was strong enough though to still send him off balance and into the room. He spun to meet 862 as he stepped into the room and they sized each other for a second.

"You know, I'm rather disappointed in you 465. Even though I did gamble your capture on such a stupid mistake." 862 sighed. "You still came looking for him even though you knew he'd been taken out."

"Who are you?" 465 asked with a glare. He slicked his eyes to the side to check that 205 was still alive and 862 struck again though his punches hit his target arms as he was knocked away. 862 danced backwards to dodge the counterattack rather than blocking them.

"Not that it should matter, but 862." He said, it mattered to them to know their enemy but to him as long as he completely his orders then he didn't care.

"Riley?" 465 gasped and from where he stood he could see 205 flinch slightly as they both recognised their attacker. "What are you doing here?"

"Following orders and don't call me that!" 862 snapped.

"That's what we used to call you." 465 frowned.

"I haven't used that name since my family used me as a distraction and left me to take the blame for them." 862 grounded out. He struck again furiously and got a blow in on 465's lower rib cage making the young man stagger backwards away from a crippling kick to the kneecaps.

"We had to get out of there!" 465 gasped in his breath again.

"You think what you suffered was bad. They locked me in isolation for two months and beat me for weeks on end for what you did!" 862 snarled as he struck again but was blocked. "What we all suffered when we were nine is nothing compared to what we suffered since."

"You can't blame us for that?"

"They pushed us harder to make up for your loss. But you're right; you had no control over how they'd react." 862 conceded before he feinted left with his leg and as 465 danced right he lashed out with his fist and caught him on the side of the head before spinning and kicking the other side of his ribs sending him to the ground. He came down hard on his chest to pin him and cut off his air supply and lock both arms with his own. "I blame you for betraying me. I'll follow orders to spare the others and I'll show every one of you what its like to be betrayed by your brothers and sisters." He snarled and watched as 465's eyes closed as the lack of oxygen sent him into unconsciousness.

862 grabbed his phone. After giving his full code he gave his report. His task was done.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	3. Regrouping

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 3; Regrouping

862 stood leaning against the side wall of the warehouse on the outskirts of the city of Seattle as his handler, a blond haired, rather arrogant, man in loose slacks and a black jacket tried to question the two X-5's. They had given up their identification numbers because they had heard 862 already give them to the man but other than that they were being close mouthed about their contact with any other X-5's or what they had been doing the last eleven years.

After about half an hour of this 862 was beginning to get restless. He couldn't work out why; he was used to laying in wait for hours or even on one occasion for two days without a single movement to betray him. Now though, after only a few minutes, he was getting more and more agitated.

His handler span on the spot to look at him as he unconsciously tapped his foot against all of his inbuilt training. The handler was the least shocked in the room though. 862 himself was surprised and even their two prisoners were surprised that 862 would give away his impatience like that.

He'd seen plenty of interrogations before, he'd done a few himself, even if they weren't in real life situations so he couldn't work out why he was like this. "862!" His handler snapped, "Watch them while I report in to White!"

862 frowned as the man walked from the room. Why was he reporting to someone he hadn't heard of? Procedure dictated that all communication go through the base of operation not from one to another, no matter said persons position. He hadn't realised he had outwardly frowned though until 465 spoke up.

"Something's wrong at Manticore isn't it?" 862 ignored him not wanting to let it be known that he was at a loss.

"And I bet they haven't told you." 205 grinned as he said it.

"Shut up! Both of you." 862 ground out as he stared at the door. They were right of course. The only reason his handler wouldn't report to Manticore was if something was happening there.

"Come on Riley, at least let us go." 465 asked. 862 just looked at him like he was insane not quite sure if he was joking or not.

"What makes you think I'd defy my orders?" He asked ignoring the use of his faked name.

"Because we can help you get free of Manticore." 205 joined in.

"You assume I don't want to be at Manticore?" 862 raised an eyebrow. Neither of them said anything just gave him a knowing look. They had known him for almost ten years after all and knew what he would have gone through after they left. "I'll stay there until I can get my revenge."

"What is it you want then?" 205 asked confused.

"I'll think about defying orders only if you tell me where I can find 452 and 599." 862 admitted. That's what he truly wanted after all, so much that he would defy his orders once and for all.

"You'd do that just to get to Zack and Max?" 205 asked astonished. "What are you going to do to them?"

"Kill them." 862 shrugged. "I don't have orders specific to them but Manticore will accept their deaths easily enough."

"We can't betray them for ourselves." 465 told him quietly.

"And there we have it." 862 grinned at them both evilly. "You didn't have a problem betraying one of you own kind the first time around."

They were cut off as 862's handler re-entered the room. "You have a new objective, 862." He came sharply to attention as his handler began. "The prisoners will remain with me here whilst you go into Seattle. Your objective is to find any transgenics and either kill them or ensure that they regroup."

"Sir? Why are the transgenics not in Manticore?" 862 asked.

"Don't presume to ask questions, 862!" He snapped and 862 tensed up slightly. "Manticore was destroyed. We have orders to aid in the clean up. Report in at the outer city check point and our contact there will give you an all-areas sector pass. They'll have a bike there for you too. Oh, and if you have any opportunity to take down Eyes-Only then do so." He didn't offer to elaborate so 862 let that part slide. It was a rather open ended mission with no time frame. Basically he was being placed on search and destroy.

862 glanced at 205 and 465 briefly and confusion passed between them. His handler didn't notice. Why were they ordering him to exterminate other Transgenics, why not just allow them to regroup like they should do and then go after the ones that disobeyed. He couldn't ask that though.

"What are you waiting for?" His handler snapped when he didn't move. "Get a move on!"

"Yes, Sir!" He saluted and span on his heal. He gave 465 a confused look more because he couldn't help it rather than because he wanted to. He walked out into the early morning light and glanced at the stars. A light flashed as it hovered over the city. "Regroup...Echo Golf 427952." He muttered as he walked toward the glow that lingered over the city. So Manticore was truly gone. He shook his head as a single thought threatened him. "What of 484? Was he dead?"

He was through the check point easily and was soon driving through the northernmost sector of Seattle on a black Ninja motorbike with a Federal Sector pass in his jacket pocket. He drove through the town and eventually pulled up at a rather beat up looking Kwik-E-Mart. He was glad for the endless sessions on how the outside world worked now that he was in the middle of it without Manticore as a back up. He glanced around and swung off the bike before removing the keys and heading inside. A group of children and young men were inside, all younger than himself and they screamed transgenics. Not only that but they had made no attempt to hide their barcodes. A woman was near them but she was ignoring the fact that they were rather obviously stealing food off of the shelves.

He stepped in closer behind them and listened to their conversation, "A barcode." One of them pointed to the back of one of the boxes they had swiped. "What does it mean?"

"It means it's ours." One of the girls smiled and took it from him and put it under her jacket.

The woman without a barcode looked at them and 862 noticed as she saw their barcodes. "Hey, where'd you get those?" She asked, pointing at the small boy's neck. "My friend has one just like it." 862 looked at her sharply. They ignored her however and tucked more food under their clothing.

"That's it," the eldest one said, "Let's go."

862 slipped out before they could turn and notice them. He didn't need any more non-transgenics knowing about them and he definitely wasn't going to blow his own cover in front of humans. He had barely taken ten steps down the road when a gun went off within the shop. "For the love of God!" He muttered, a habit he had picked up from his room mate. The five came running out of the shop and straight towards him. He side stepped the first before tripping the eldest of them, an X-6.

The group ground to a halt and whipped around to see who had attacked their impromptu leader. They fell into defensive stances. 862 glanced at them without making his own fighting abilities known. He looked down at the ground where the seventeen year old X-6 was quickly getting up. "Wake up X-6. I could've killed you already." This woke them up and they all snapped to attention as they realised what he was.

"Sir!" A female X-6 said as they all started to get in line.

"Rookies! Fall out before someone notices." He snapped. They stepped around him in a half circle. "What do you think you're doing? You're trained soldiers not petty thieves."

"We were getting supplies before regrouping." The first X-6 reported. 862 felt a tingling on the back of his neck. His own internal warning system that he was unique for. Somebody was watching him.

"Find somewhere to lay low today on the outskirts of town and then regroup at nightfall." He told them. "Dismissed." They ran and 862 spun to look up at a second floor window across the road that his senses were directing him to. A curtain twitched as somebody withdrew into the darkness and 862 frowned before turning and getting back onto his Ninja. He gunned the engine and sped of down the road.

Almost immediately he came up to a state trooper patrol car driving in the opposite direction. He grinned as he thought up his plan to spook his observer out of his hiding place. He served into the left lane and the patrol car screeched to a halt. He sat calmly on the bike as the two occupants got out and headed for him with irritated looks.

"What the heck are you doing?" One growled out. "You wanna be killed?"

862 said nothing until he had fished his federal pass from his jacket pocket that claimed him to be Riley Faedren of the Federal Guard. He flashed the sector pass part of it so they couldn't see the printed name on it. He didn't like having to use the name but the contact at the check point had needed one and since he was stuck with it for a while at least this one would make him respond. They looked at the pass and then at each other before looking at him expectantly.

"I want you to check on a residence for me." He told them and detailed where he wanted them to go and what he wanted them to do. He then parked his bike as they drove off down the road. He sneaked down the road back towards the Kwik-E-Mark and waited patiently. He wasn't disappointed when the window cracked open and somebody perched impossibly on the narrow ledge as he shut it behind him before leaping down the two stories and landing without even a winch.

862 grinned. So far the transgenics were falling into his lap. He was about to step out from his shadowed doorway across the sheet when the young man looked up. 862 recoiled back against the wall like he'd been physically slapped in the face.

"Damnit, Alec!" 862 cursed before he cut himself off at the realization that he had used his room mate's name rather than his designation even when talking to himself. He fought an internal struggle to choose what to do but was saved from making the decision when the next time he checked on Alec across the street he was already gone.

It was then that he recognised the emotion that had gnawed at him enough to make him betray his impatience in the warehouse with his handler and more importantly with 205 and 465. He was concerned about them. For the first time in years he was concerned about someone else and he didn't like it.

He shook his head to try to discard the unwanted thought and slipped back towards his bike. He needed a place to lie low for the night and also something to eat.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End chapter


	4. Creeping Conscience

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 4; Creeping Conscience

**A few days later**

862 had been lying low for the last few days. He drove through the different sectors by day on the lookout for transgenics that hadn't followed procedure and although he found a few, the others had either regrouped like they were supposed to or had gone into hiding.

He was making rather liberal use of his sector pass that allowed him to barely even stop at checkpoints and allowed him free access to the little fuel available in the city. He'd also found a small abandoned apartment in the Northern part of the centre to stay and had brought some food and drinks with money he had stolen from a group that had tried to mob him on his first day in the city. He'd left them alive, if barely, but stripped them of any money or information that they had.

He was now standing on the roof of his apartment building watching the satellite as it weaved its way across the sky. Tonight was the last day that the transgenics had to regroup and even as he watched the light stopped its gentle flashing. Technically, any transgenic now out in the city was a traitor.

To his surprise though the flashing started up again in a different pattern, a signal to scatter and go to ground. He narrowed his eyes at it and decided he'd have to call his handler for more details.

He suppressed the reflex action as his cell phone rang. He glanced at the screen but he didn't recognise the number, he shrugged since he only actually knew one number and that was his handler. He slid the bottom of the phone down and held it to his ear as it connected.

"Riley Faedren." He intoned emotionlessly.

"X-5-862." He recognised the voice as Lydeckers. "I wouldn't have guessed that you would use that name. You didn't react favourably the last time someone called you it."

"It was the easiest name to use in this situation, Sir." 862 told him calmly. A slight frown marred his features. Lydecker wasn't following protocol; he wasn't using recognition codes from Manticore, though if it was true that Manticore was destroyed then that was understandable.

"Are you still taking orders, 862?" Lydecker asked him.

"Of course, Sir."

"Good. I'm glad I sent you out before they burnt down Manticore." His instructor said, more to himself than 862. He was confused as to why he was being contacted directly, especially from cell phone to cell phone. "What are your orders?"

"You know I can't tell you that over a phone, Sir!" He said without any real emotion.

"I'm your superior, answer me." Lydecker almost growled out.

"You haven't given the valid recognition code given to me before I left on my mission. I have no proof that you are who you are." 862 stated.

Lydecker seemed to pause, he knew that there wasn't a real point arguing protocol with a trained X-5. "Where are you?" Lydecker seemed to check himself at this one. "Wait, you wont answer that either. You're in danger, 862. Meet me at the Sector 1 police offices in one hour and I will explain everything to you."

"Understood, Sir." 862 agreed since this was actually procedure. Orders could be verified if given face to face if there was no recognition codes to go by.

Before 862 could hang up the phone Lydecker spoke again. "862, don't report this to your handler yet. At least meet with me first." The line went dead and 862 frowned. It was definitely against protocol to not inform your handler of meetings with other personnel. 862 pondered for a few seconds over calling his handler but something in Lydecker's voice made him take pause. In the end he decided to hear the man out.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector 1; Police station.**

862 paused as he came onto the roof. He'd jumped silently from another nearby building, a gap in the security overlooked by the police since no normal human could make the distance. Lydecker, surprisingly alone, stood looking down over the street. 862 hadn't expected the man to be there without some kind of protection.

862 made his way across the gravel roof without a sound and stood a few metres behind Lydecker and waited. Manticore soldiers didn't address their superiors, only answered questions. It was more than a few seconds before Lydecker realised somebody was behind him and he spun around slowly.

"862." He nodded. "I didn't actually expect you to come."

"I was following a superior officer's orders, Sir." 862 told him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Did you tell your handler you were meeting me?" Lydecker asked him.

"No." 862 said simply. "I did as you said."

"Then I should tell you. Your orders are no longer coming from Manticore." Lydecker said simply.

862 nodded. "My handler told me that it was attacked and destroyed."

"It wasn't destroyed in the attack." Lydecker shook his head. "My superior's ordered it destroyed and the project scrubbed. Your orders no longer come from Manticore personnel."

"I take orders from my handler." 862 told him slightly confused.

"He is taking orders from a Federal agent called Ames White." Lydecker told him. "What are your actual orders?" 862 hesitated confused that Lydecker didn't already know. "I was betrayed by my superiors, now I am trying to stop the killing of every transgenic in the world. Ames White's task is to exterminate them without exception. I find it hard to believe that you are a part of that."

862 felt confusion bubble up and he pushed it back down. "My orders were to track down transgenics and send them to the regrouping coordinates until the deadline, Sir." 862 paused. "I was about to call in for further orders when the signal to scatter and go to ground began."

"That's what I thought." Lydecker told him. "You've been tricked. White was the one that ordered the signal to regroup and any that returned were killed. Once you've finished your mission, he will kill you also."

862 blanched. That meant that the ten transgenics he had sent to regroup in the last four days were dead. "What are your orders for me?"

"I can't give you orders anymore. I'm not part of Manticore." Lydecker told him. "I just believed you should know what you were being tricked into. Just remember that you are in an ideal position to help them at the moment if you take control of your own missions."

862 just thought to himself and by the time he thought to leave Lydecker was already gone. He returned to his apartment, barely registering the single checkpoint that he went through. He barely got in before his cell phone rang again. This time he did recognise the number.

"Riley Faedren." He intoned again even if he knew it was his handler.

"Recognition 22-Alpha-6-Charlie." 862 tensed as the voice sounded, it wasn't his handler. It was another man.

"331974327862 here." 862 replied. The man paused.

"My name is Agent White." The man told him. "You take orders only from myself or your handler. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" 862 said as he stared out of his window at the night scene outside, it was now coming up to midnight and the night life was beginning.

"I'm altering your orders." White told him. "I want your focus on Eyes-Only, track him down and bring him to this warehouse alive. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir." 862 told him.

"You might try by contacting 494. I've just sent him to track down three transgenics. I believe him to be in contact with 452." White told him. "You'd best hurry though since 494 has only got just under a day left to complete his mission or die."

"Yes, Sir." He frowned. Why was Alec in contact with 452 and why did he only have that time left?

White hung up first and he stuck the phone in his trouser pocket. It wouldn't hurt to sleep first. He'd go out in the morning and find Alec.

The next day was a long one for 862. He checked Alec's apartment, or at least what seemed to be his apartment, the place he had first seen his room mate. He even checked with check-point police using his faked Federal ID but with no luck. The chances of Alec actually having an ID in only a few days, let alone being stupid enough to use the gates rather than just sneaking through, were rather slim. Just when he was about to give up the search he got a call from his handler who told him that Alec had just left a different warehouse on the way into the city and that if he hurried he'd run into him.

Sure enough, only twenty minutes later he was pulling up beside Alec as the man jogged through the city. It was already passed dusk and the city was already moving towards night mode. He gunned the engine to get Alec to take note and hopped off.

"862!" Alec cried out as he saw him. "Where have you been?"

"Jesus, Alec!" 862 gasped looking at his worn features. "You look like hell."

Alec just looked at him in slight shock. "What?" 862 asked him with a frown.

"You called me Alec, you never called me Alec." 862 just shrugged. "If there's anyone that I like enough to call by their name it's you."

"You know, even though that sounds so stupid." Alec grinned, light coming back into his face. "Coming from you I think that's a compliment. Does that mean I get to call you Riley?"

862 flinched slightly but sighed. "Since I am using it as a cover I suppose I have to let you." He shook his head slightly. "You're running out of time aren't you?"

Alec nodded before he realised what he had been asked. "How do you know about that?"

"I'm taking orders from White." 862 shrugged. "Except I'm not being forced by threat of death."

"You're willingly killing your own kind?" Alec gasped.

"Only if I have to. I'm doing it for three reasons." 862 explained. "To stay off White's kill-list, to help our brothers and sisters if I can and because White has the resources to find 452 and 599."

"Zack's dead." Alec told him emotionlessly. It hit him like a sledge hammer making him gasp.

"What? How?"

"He killed himself when he and 452 were captured before Manticore was burnt down." Alec looked at him. "I thought that's what you wanted?"

862 struggled to form any words but he eventually steeled himself. "It is."

"Why are you here? What's your mission for White?" Alec asked him.

"I'm to track down and capture Eyes-Only." 862 told him.

"I don't know who he is." Alec told him. "I'm in a hurry."

"Where do you need to go?" 862 asked him.

"Into the city. I have to find another one and there's only one I know of for sure." Alec told him.

"You mean 452?" 862 asked. "Are you going to kill her?"

"Not if she can lead me to another one." Alec sighed, and 862 was struck again by how much he had changed after his first mission.

"Get on, I'll take you." 862 jumped on his bike and gunned the engine as it started. Alec got on behind him.

"How are you going to get through sector police with this?"

"I have a Federal ID. They can't do anything to me." 862 yelled over the sound of the engine as he tore out into the almost deserted road. They shot through the sector check point easily as 862 waved his pass in front of the first guard who signalled them through.

862 dropped Alec off near the residential sector of Seattle and watched as his old room mate got off and gave him a grateful look. "What are you going to do with Eyes-Only if you find him?"

"I don't know yet." 862 told him after only a brief hesitation. "Alec, where's 452?"

"I can't tell you that if you're just going to kill her." Alec told him.

"Spare me the sentimental crap, Alec, she might not have used you as a diversion but she did leave you behind just like she did me." 862 told him. "Either way, if she is in contact with this Eyes-Only then I will run into her eventually. I warn you Alec. The only thing I know for sure is I want her to feel sorry for what she did to me. You're the only person out here that I hate to hurt. Don't get in the way, Alec."

Alec looked like he wanted to argue the point but suddenly remembered his remaining time and after a brief look up at 862 he turned and ran. 862 knew that Alec couldn't kill 452, he didn't have it in him. He wasn't angry enough at her. Maybe a year ago he could've managed it but not after that mission had left its mark. But Alec would need her help to get that device out of him and that was why 862 turned his bike around to head for the Sector 1 police station rather than letting Alec take him to her. He was the only friend he really had.

XOXOXOXOX

**Sector 1 Police headquarters**

862 found it easy to get access to the investigation into Eyes-Only with his Federal pass and he was soon entrenched in every report made of him. He watched the tapes of a few of his more recent broadcasts about Manticore's burning. It was the one thing that the detectives had either overlooked or had been hidden from sight that interested him the most. The timings of the broadcasts. Even though they never held a pattern of what time they appeared they did take over the original broadcasts in a certain order.

He pulled a map of the city out of his bag and laid it out. He'd gotten it from one of the police officers. It had on it the names of the companies in the sectors as well as all the normal features. He painstakingly placed small tacks on each of the broadcasting stations in the order of the timings for the last broadcast. He noticed the pattern as it went out. It seemed to spread from a central point. He stopped halfway through the list when this became evident and smirked.

The task of working out that central location was easy and only proved that someone was covering Eyes-Only from within the police station. That didn't bother 862 in the least and he wouldn't report it to his handler or to White but it did give him an idea. He shifted the tacks slightly on the page and drew an X over an apartment building about a mile from the actual place he had worked out. With any luck the detective who had just passed the room for the fifteenth time in the last two hours would report it to Eyes-Only and if 862 was right and 452 was in league with the man then she would go off to pre-empt him and 862 would be able to trick them all into doing what he wanted without himself getting caught.

Perhaps he could repay two transgenics for what he had been tricked into doing to so many others. He left the room and took his Ninja back to his apartment to get some rest before that evening.

XOXOXOXOX

**Logan's apartment**

"You trust this cop?" Alec said with amusement.

"Shut up, pretty boy!" Max snaps and shoves him backwards. "The only reason I called you was because I need the backup. Once this is over I never want to see you again." The dog hybrid growled at Alec but the X-5 just stared. He'd only just avoided his head exploding last night and now he was being forced to help them.

"So let me get this straight." Alec concluded. "You've made a mistake and now some guy is on the trail of Eyes-Only?"

"My source at police headquarters said that some federal guy was snooping through the files and placed Eyes-Only at an apartment block about a mile north of here." Logan explained again.

"So we go and take care of him?" Joshua added trying to be helpful.

"We'll go and question him, see what he wants with Eyes-Only." Max countered patiently. "You get a description?" She asked Logan.

"Black hair, green eyes, slightly tanned skin." Logan began. "Strange thing is that my source told me that he was around twenty years old. No older than twenty-two."

"How can a Federal Agent be that age?" Max asked in confusion.

"Oh, you are so screwed!" Alec tried not to laugh.

Max rounded on him in fury. "What are you yapping about?"

"Riley." Alec said with a shrug. "Though I think you'd better call him 862."

"A transgenic?" Logan asked.

"Not only a transgenic." Alec explained but let Max take over.

"He's another X-5. I knew him when I was still on the inside though I didn't see him before the place was burnt down." Max said going rather pale.

"He was sent on a mission just before you were brought in." Alec shrugged again.

"Is little fella alright?" Joshua asked moving to stand beside the worried looking Max.

"Max?" Logan asked in worry.

"We left him behind." Max muttered before speaking up. "Why did you say I should call him 862 when we used to call him Riley?"

"He renounced that name after you and Zack betrayed him. The last people to call him Riley other than me were two ex-Military instructors." Alec grinned at the memory. "He tore them apart."

"What?" Logan was beginning to look worried. "He killed them?"

"Yup." Alec chirped before seeing the look on Logan's face. "Look, it's what we were trained for and it was expected of us. Max here was only in there for half the time Riley and I were!" He snapped.

"So what is he doing now and how did he get a Federal Pass?" Logan asked trying to bring the conversation back on track seeing that Max was so badly affected by it.

"He was sent on a mission to find two of your buddies up North. As far as I know he got them and is now working for White." Alec told them.

"Does he have a chip in him too?" Max asked referring to the small explosive that had recently been removed from Alec at the cost of a cure for her and Logan.

"No, he's just following orders." Alec shrugged carelessly again as was his habit.

"How can he hunt his own brothers?" Max asked with a frown.

"The same way you could betray him." Alec glared at her, forgetting his own guilt in costing her so much that day.

"I didn't betray him!" She snarled out clenching her fists.

"You left him to be punished for a nightmare and then used that as a distraction. He was locked up for two months on minimum sustenance for that." Alec ground out, "But I bet his fate never once crossed your mind."

"We don't have time for this!" Max snapped out. "Come on." She snapped at Alec. "Where is this place?" She turned on Logan.

"Hey!" Alec jumped up. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Of course you are." Max told him plainly.

"Not this time Max." Alec shook his head. "You want me to fight against beasts or whatever then I'm there but not against Riley."

"He's working with White to capture us." Max reminded him.

"Ah-ah Max." Alec held up his hand to stave off her response. "He's working with White to get you and Eyes-Only. He actually likes me and he gave me a lift through the check-points yesterday."

"You're impossible!" Max span on her heel toward the door.

"He warned me not to get in the way of him finding you." Alec told him. "I'll watch lover-boy here." He gestured at Logan.

"Fine!" She snapped. "Joshua?"

"Coming." The hybrid followed her.

"Max!" Alec called after her. "Be careful, he's not hunting you to give you to White."

She left with the door slamming behind her. "What's Riley want with her?" Logan asked him.

"I wasn't with them before she escaped the first time." Alec started to explain. "But she and Zack used to be really close with Riley. They used to look after each other. He was hauled out one night to be punished for screaming out in a nightmare and Max and Zack used the distraction to stage their break."

Logan led the way into the kitchen to get something to eat and drink. Alec continued to talk. "Everyone in that room made an attempt. Twelve got out but the others were captured or killed. Riley was blamed for it and took the punishment. He was put with my group two months later looking beat up and stick-thin." Alec had long since lost his cheerful look. "Since then he would kick the shite out of anyone that referred to him as Riley. The instructors never liked him and once after I was placed as his room mate two of the instructors who really hated him teased him about it."

"And he killed them?" Logan asked with a skeptical look.

"He killed two and put another two in a coma before the guards realised that they could order us to subdue him." Alec said. "And before you say it was wrong for him to kill them, he was beaten everyday for two months with only enough time between to heal."

"That doesn't justify killing someone." Logan pointed out as he put some pasta in a bowl.

"You weren't trained like we were. Not even Max went through what we did." Alec said. "Whatever she's told you is only what they did to children. Imagine what they'd do to teenagers like me and Riley."

XOXOXOXOX

862 forced open the window on the hidden side of the apartment that he wanted. He'd watched as 452 and a strange man who looked like a dog-human hybrid slipped out of the building and down into a sewer, presumably falling for his trap and going to the decoy apartment. At least he wouldn't have to deal with her at the moment since his blood was already boiling at the sight of her. So carefree and alive after ten years of freedom whilst he and Alec rotted.

She'd been muttering about bastards as she walked out and 862 had to wonder if she was referring to Alec or somebody else. At least Alec wasn't with her, which meant either he didn't know about this situation or he had respected 862's wishes and stayed out of his way.

He slipped silently through the halls as he heard an older man talking in a room near the front of the apartment. The man obviously hadn't the monetary concerns of the vast majority of the city's occupants since the apartment was well looked after.

"That doesn't justify killing someone." The unknown man spoke as 862 slipped into the room. Neither of the two in the room were facing the right way to see him so he paused. Alec hadn't noticed him, obviously too absorbed in their conversation. The other man, who was playing with something of the stove, half turned to listen to Alec's reply.

"You weren't trained like we were. Not even Max went through what we did." Alec had a bitter tone to his voice. "Whatever she's told you is only what they did to children. Imagine what they'd do to teenagers like me and Riley."

The man turned and went to give a reply but his eyes widened as he saw 862 lurking behind Alec. 862 recognised the eyes instantly as those from the recordings and he acted. He caught Alec on the back of the neck like he had done hundreds of times in training. Alec had gotten better at defending against 862's attacks but didn't stand a chance against a surprise attack. Alec went down, stunned, but he was still conscious though extremely disoriented.

862 lowered him carefully so as not to hurt him more than necessary and then stood to face the man who to his credit was already going for a draw in the other corner of the cabinet. 862 let him as he glanced at Alec to see his brother looking up at him and struggling to move his limbs.

"Sorry, Alec." He whispered before looking back at Eyes-Only. The man spun with gun in hand but 862 only held up his hand. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"And why shouldn't I kill you?" He asked.

"Weren't you the one just arguing about me killing people?" 862 smirked figuring that he was the topic of conversation. "If not that then because my handler believes me to be where you just sent 452. If I don't report in soon they'll send more units in. Not even she can defeat that kind of force."

The man hesitated with his finger on the trigger and 862 hoped he wouldn't call his bluff. The beauty of Manticore training though was the ease of which they pull off emotionless faces. Eventually the man gave in and the gun went onto the table. In the split second that the man looked away to find the table 862 acted. He slammed his right hand across the table sending the gun skittering across the kitchen and with the other grabbed the man by the throat.

"Why are you doing this?" The man managed to croak out.

"My orders are to bring you in." 862 told him.

"It's that simple is it?" The man glared.

"Yes it's that simple." 862 almost laughed.

"Don't you care about why?" The man asked him and continued when 862 didn't respond. "That I am fighting for your freedom?"

"My freedom?" 862 laughed bitterly. "You really think I care? You have pissed off my boss and he has ordered me to bring you to him. Like you said; 'It's that simple.'"

"Why don't you care though?" The man persisted.

"Maybe I should have let Alec continue betraying my trust." 862 mused with a glare towards Alec to make sure his brother got the point that he wasn't off the hook. "Maybe you'd have a better idea if I'd let him continue telling a stranger all of my lives little troubles?"

He saw Alec trying to scramble up and 862 half turn to face him. "Don't move, brother. By what I heard 452 saying outside she won't be much impressed with you if you force me to snap his neck." He tightened his grip enough to make the man gasp as he tried to suck in air. Alec slumped back, giving in to the numbness of his lower back and legs.

He let go of the man and watched him slump against the counter top. He backed away toward where the gun had come to a rest on the counter top. "I'm sure you've seen 452 running so don't try to run or I'll put a bullet in your back and then do the same to 452 and that hybrid pet of hers."

The man, to his credit, didn't try to run as 862 grabbed the gun. 862 pulled out his phone and punched in his handler's number. "331974327862." He said quickly.

"22-Alpha-6-Charlie." Was his handler's response. "Do you have something to report?"

"I have Eyes-Only in my custody." He reported.

"Did he have any protectors?" He saw Alec tense as his enhanced hearing allowed him to listen to the conversation.

"No Sir." 862 replied. "No protectors."

"Good job, bring them to the warehouse on Dearborn street." His handler told him before hanging up the phone. 862 let himself smirk as he caught Alec looking away as if he hadn't been listening in.

"Let's go." 862 told the man who hesitated. He grabbed his shoulder and spun him before marching him out of the door. He knew he only had five minutes before 452 would rejoin them after realising it was a trap. He put the gun in the front compartment of his bike and pulled out a short piece of rope. He tied one end to the man's wrist before getting on. The man hesitated. "What are you waiting for? You want to run along behind?"

The man got on behind him after only another second and 862 forced the man's arms around his own chest and tied the man's wrists together to stop him escaping. Whilst he was tying the knot the man spoke up. "What are you going to do to Max?"

"452?" 862 asked. "What's it to you?"

"Why do you call her that?" He asked. "Everyone calls her Max."

"Names like that are for friends not traitors." 862 told the man sharply and tightened the knot rather too tightly.

"Alec calls you Riley." The man said simply.

"Alec is my brother." He said simply. "You didn't answer my question. What's it to you what I do to 452?"

"She's my…" He hesitated. "She would be my girlfriend." 862 stopped before turning the key but he didn't offer an answer to the first question. "What are you going to do to her?"

"No matter what I do to her it won't be as bad as what she forced me to go through." 862 ground out. Whatever the man wanted to say in response went unheard as 862 turned on the ignition and gunned the engine, tearing out of the alley and into the road.

He passed through only two check points on the way to the warehouse. He'd checked out the warehouse a few days before as he'd followed a truck into the city with the two X-5's he'd captured before he'd found out he was aiding those that had destroyed Manticore. As far as he knew, White had yet to visit it and that gave him a certainty that the two escapees hadn't yet been killed.

Even if they weren't there his handler would be and with any luck he could be rid of him. He'd obviously been working for White since before Manticore had been destroyed and as such had betrayed his own trust and that of his own superiors. At least with that aspect he would be following protocol. He pulled up outside the warehouse noting that a single light burned on the inside and a car sat in front of the building. He recognised it as his handlers.

He untied the wrists of the man and let him get off of the bike before forcing his hands together and tightening the binding again. He knew the rope was tearing away at the skin but he wasn't bothered.

"Max will come to rescue me you know." He told him.

"Shut up before I gag you as well." 862 replied without missing a beat. To emphasize his point he backhanded the man across the check. Enough to stun him temporarily and to leave a nasty looking yellow patch that would develop into a rather obvious bruise. He grabbed the trailing rope and yanked it as he led the man into the warehouse. He didn't slow even as the man, in his slightly dazed state, kept stumbling. He made the man crouch in the centre of the warehouse in front of the two cages that held 205 and 465.

They said nothing to him as he looked at them before stepping to the other side of the man and watching as his handler came into the room.

"This is Eyes-Only?" His handler asked.

"Yes, Sir." 862 came to attention. "I verified the information myself." It was a lie but he couldn't tell the man that he had trusted his instincts like he always did. The man obviously didn't know that he was different to the other X-5's. Nor, evidently, did White, otherwise there was no way they'd let him have the freedoms he already enjoyed.

His handler didn't compliment him on completing the task so quickly. 862 ignored him as he went about studying the man, who 862 still didn't know the name of. 862 was studying his feelings again, he felt that familiar twitch of guilt when he looked across the room at his two brothers. They had only taken an opportunity and he couldn't really blame them for that. It was only 599 and 452 he really held a grudge against now that he had a taste of that freedom and that was only because they had known him, and he had cared for them. The emotion he now felt was enough to prove to himself that his plan was for the right.

He caught 205's eyes and glanced down at his hands before looking up again. He checked that 205 was watching him before starting to sign, making sure that his handler knew nothing of the silent communication as he questioned the man for information he obviously wouldn't get.

His message was simple. "Reinforcement in ten." He saw 205 repeat the message to 465 along with some other whispered words too low for him to hear. It was indeed ten more minutes of listening to his handler before the man turned to him.

"862." He came to attention again with a snap. "Return to the city. I will contact you with your new orders as soon as I talk to Agent White. Dismissed."

862 walked from the room after a crisp salute. He heard his handler pull out his phone and knew with a internal laugh that his handler would give him the exact alibi that he'd need to still remain in White's good books. He glanced sideways as he passed the cages and sent them a wink before leaving the warehouse.

He hesitated as he sat astride his black Ninja and glanced around. With any luck 452, that dog-human hybrid and possibly Alec would be hiding somewhere nearby. He stretched his unique senses in all directions but felt nothing. The other X-5's were immune to that ability though none of the other transgenics could boast that immunity. He gunned the engine and rode off towards the centre of the city however not even thirty seconds later he pulled into an alley and jumped off the bike.

He pulled the gun out of the compartment and wiped it down before pulling on a pair of gloves he'd brought a few days back. Time for the second part of his plan. He jogged back to the warehouse just in time to see three figures sneak in through a side door. The only reason he saw it was because he knew that was where he would enter and because he was expecting it ever since he had known Alec had heard the name of the warehouse.

He snuck in through the same door with the gun at the ready. His handler had obviously already reported to White which meant that his alibi was in place. 452 and the dog-human hybrid were standing between the handler and the man from the apartment whilst Alec stood nearer to the handler. Even as he snuck into the shadows of the room he saw that 205 and 465 had seen him since they were the only ones facing sideways. He glanced over them but said nothing.

The handler was looking rather pale as the hybrid growled at him but he still had the courage or stupidity to try to pull a gun on three transgenics. Alec had disarmed him, claiming the gun for himself, and taken a step away before the man could take aim.

He turned the gun on the handler who looked around in slight panic. 862 stepped out of the shadows and raised his own gun, the same as that held now by Alec, and aimed at his brother's back. A smirk appeared across his handlers face as he thought that 862 had come to rescue him.

"What are you smirking about you scumbag?" 452 glared at him.

862 took a step forward but didn't hide the noise. In an instant, three transgenics were facing him though Alec had the foresight to keep his gun aimed on the handler.

"Who are you?" 452 asked him trying to see his face in the darkness and obviously not recognizing him against his nine year old self.

"You smell like the little fellas." The dog-human hybrid said with a sniff.

"Very good." 862 smirked, "And they said dogs don't have intelligence."

"This was all a trap?" 452 asked.

"Yes." 862 laughed bitterly. "But unfortunately not for you this time. This trap is for him."

They frowned before looking at the now very pale handler who had just realised that only a slight twist of 862's aim would put a bullet in his own head. "Alec, shoot him."

"What?" Alec asked him in surprise.

"He was working for White before I got my mission to capture those two." 862 tilted his head toward 205 and 465 where they sat watching the scene unfold.

"We're not going to kill anyone for you." 452 snapped at him. 862 turned the full force of his glare toward her, far more anger and hatred stemmed then than he had shown for even those Instructors he had killed. He held that look for a few second before she broke the eye contact. He shrugged and pulled the trigger. Everyone in the room flinched as they heard the gunshot followed by the thud of a body hitting the floor. The bullet had gone passed Alec's head and shot his handler in the forehead.

Everyone in the room just gaped at him. "You have to do what is needed to survive." He told them. "Alec, give me that gun." When his brother didn't react instantly he turned the gun on Eyes-Only and looked at 452 expectantly.

"Do it, Alec." She told him. Alec sighed before throwing him the gun. 862 caught it in his left hand without flinching and swapped it for the one he was holding. He took the bullet from the chamber before cocking it again. He chucked it back to Alec.

"I'd suggest leaving that with the body so it looks like he was overpowered by poor Eyes-Only and killed." 862 told them, "That way I can stay in White's good graces and help if I can. If it looks like I killed him then I'll be in the same situation as you."

"Riley?" 452 finally spoke.

862 felt his blood boil and he turned his own gun, the one from the kitchen, on her. "Call me that again 452 and I'll put a bullet through your head next." He turned to the man.

"Sorry about your cheek." He apologised without sincerity. "The keys to the cages are in his chest pocket. Make a broadcast about this and I'll kidnap you for real."

The man nodded before struggling to his feet and wincing as he tried to remove the bindings. 862 looked at Alec with a raised eyebrow. "Need a ride through the check points?"

"Sure, thanks." 862 knew that he didn't have a valid pass and would have to sneak through each check point. How they had gotten here so quickly was beyond him. Before 205, 465 or 452 could speak he had spun on his heal and left the warehouse with Alec running to catch him up. "You ok?"

"About?" 862 asked as they got on his bike.

"About everything, one minute we're in our room, then you're sent after those two and then Manticore burns down and now you are pretending to work for White to eliminate your own kind." Alec told him. "And you just broke a cardinal rule by killing your handler."

"He broke protocol first." 862 countered.

"So, that doesn't change how you feel about it." Alec pointed out.

"Since when did you become so emotional?" 862 asked him with faked disgust.

Alec chuckled. "Probably since you did, Riley." 862 couldn't help but laugh quietly.

"Hey, Alec. Can I crash at your place tonight?" He asked his old room mate.

"Sure, why?" Alec asked him.

"I haven't been able to spend any time with anyone I know since the mission." 862 admitted but whatever Alec said to him was lost as he gunned the engine.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	5. In a name

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 5; In a name

862 woke instantly, the first thing he realised was that he was lying next to somebody, or rather somebody was lying up against his side. He turned his head slowly to try not to wake them but the slight movement was enough to wake the other transgenic.

Alec's light brown eyes met his own green ones and he smiled as he pulled his head up from his shoulder. "Good morning." Alec told him.

862 mumbled a response before he sat up. "I better get going. White will know about my handler by now and I shouldn't be anywhere near you when he calls me."

"I didn't know you cared." Alex laughed as 862 pulled a t-shirt over his head and got out of the bed. They'd both slept in their jeans and all he needed to do was to grab his jacket off the back of the chair and his wallet and phone from the bedside table. He glared at Alec slightly.

"Don't joke, Alec!" 862 snapped. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know, Riley." 862 started at the name but shrugged it off, he didn't really mind Alec calling him it now, he did think of him as Alec after all.

"I've got to go." 862 told him before he slipped out of the door. He slipped down the decrepit staircase and out to his Ninja. Putting on the helmet he gunned the engine and headed toward the nearest checkpoint which was actually not that far away. He pulled passed the queue of waiting cars and pulled in front of the first car despite the glares he received. He put one of his feet down as the armed guard stepped forward. He pulled off his helmet and showed the man his federal badge.

He was waved through but just as he was about to move a motion in the corner of his eye caught his attention. A woman, about his age was being led forwards in cuffs by two sector policemen. She was probably trying to sneak through the fence, a common enough occurrence according to Alec who did it himself.

She did catch his attention though, she looked outright petrified, normally sneaking through the fences got you a caution or even a few nights in jail if you kept doing it but she looked scared out of her wits. He pulled over to the side and watched as they pushed her into the back of a truck and drove her to the Sector Four headquarters.

862 spent most of the day driving through some of the lesser sectors of the city waiting for the call from White. This way if he decided to do a lock then it wouldn't lead him to where he stayed. It was a little before five when his phone began to ring, he didn't recognise the number so he assumed that it was White own phone rather than his handlers one.

He answered but didn't speak. He'd make White speak first and surely enough he did. "Recognition 22-Alpha-6-Charlie." White said.

"331974327862 here." 862 responded. "What are your orders?"

"You no longer take orders from your handler, he was found dead and the prisoners escaped." White told him. "A member of S1W, a terrorist group, has been captured and is being held in Sector Four police headquarters, I want you there to guard her until further orders. You can contact me on this number if you must." The line went dead before he could accept the mission. He pocketed his phone and gunned his motorbikes engine spinning the back wheel around to face the next sector.

The trip was short and he didn't bother with sneaking in but instead just flashed his badge and ordered the nearest member of sector police to take him to her cell. When he walked in there was an inspector speaking to her, he showed him his ID before stepped back to listen to the interrogation. It seemed that he wasn't surprised by a federal agent showing up, fake as he was.

"Your prints came through, Ms Barlow." The inspector grouched. "We know you're with S1W."

To her credit she didn't even flinch. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The inspector pushed a pad of paper and a pen across the table to the woman. "I want the names and addresses of everyone in your group." 862 almost rolled his eyes at the lack of actual interrogation and wondered if he had ever managed to get somebody to speak.

She seemed to think the same thing. "This is crazy!"

The man's arm darted across the table to hit her but 862 was faster, he grabbed the hand tightly and glared at the man. He might not care about her well-being but hitting her was a sure way to shut her up unless they wanted to go into torture which he was sure even a corrupt police force wouldn't allow. "That'll be all, Inspector, I'll talk to her alone now."

"What!?" The Inspector glared.

"You heard me, Inspector. Out." 862 glared.

The man left but only after sending a glare at the woman. "Thanks." She told him.

"Why are you thanking me?" 862 asked with a cold look.

"You stopped him from hitting me." She said.

"Only because I didn't see any use of it. Your continued good looks have no say in it." 862 said rather bluntly. "If I wanted information from you I'd use much worse methods then hitting you."

"So?" She asked her own expression closing off. "What are _you_ going to do to me?"

"Fortunately for you my orders don't include interrogation, or torture. I'm here to make sure you don't managed some kind of escape." 862 told her.

"And how do you expect me to escape from here?" She asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I highly doubt you could. Not unless you can kill people which I doubt." 862 told her.

"And you can?"

"Kill people?" 862 laughed. "If you knew what I was you'd know that killing is what I'm trained for. No, Ms. Barlow, I expect someone to come to your rescue."

"Who?"

862 laughed before shaking his head to show he wasn't answering her questions. "So, you're a terrorist then?"

"S1W aren't terrorists!"

"So you are S1W then?" 862 smirked at her slip.

"What's it to you?" She snapped.

"Nothing, I don't even know what S1W is." 862 admitted. "Want to enlighten me?"

"We're against corruption in the police." She said eyeing him.

"So you work with Eyes-Only then?"

"Sometimes." She admitted. "Who do you work for because if you're a federal agent I'm bugs bunny?"

"Who's bugs bunny?" 862 asked before shaking his head. "I take orders but I only work for myself."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

862 laughed again though it was a rather harsh laugh. His extra sense flared in warning but he couldn't sense anyone, that could only mean an X-5. "Looks like your cavalries here. Tell me honestly, should I help you? Are you somebody who should be helped?"

"I am." She said looking up. He met her eyes and his gut instincts told him that, even if he didn't like her that much, he should believe her. After all he didn't like anybody but Alec.

"Fancy something to drink?" He asked. "No, oh well, I'll be back shortly." He knocked on the door and it opened, he closed it behind him and it locked. He deftly knocked the key out of the mans hand as he turned and the 'accidental' mistake meant that when the crash of glass sounded from inside the man had to fumble around on the ground to find it even as 862 ordered him to open the door.

He listened with super sensitive hearing as two people moved around inside the room and then it was all quiet. The door swung in and a flustered police officer looked at him rather guiltily as he swept in and accessed the broken window and empty room. He shook his head and left. He ran for the roof access and reached the edge knowing that he wouldn't see anything.

He allowed himself a smirk just as three state troopers ran up behind him. He spun on them and flashed his ID. "Seal off the entire sector, nobody gets in or out!" This would not only make White think he was doing everything possible but also prevent confusion at the gates which would allow whoever helped Barlow to escape to leave all the easier. Sealed borders weren't a problem for any transgenic, even for one that had missed ten years of training. He had no doubt that it was 452 that had helped her.

He flipped open his phone and dialled White's phone from memory. "331974327862 here."

"Recognition 22-Alpha-6-Charlie," White responded. "What's the problem?"

"The prisoner escaped." 862 said bluntly but knew his 'boss' wouldn't be pleased.

"How did that happen?" White snarled.

"She had help from another X-5."

"Let me guess, 452?" White said rather sarcastically.

"Unknown Sir, I didn't see it happen." 862 said signing his own death warrant.

"Report in to me at the warehouse now, 862." White ordered before hanging up.

"Great!" 862 muttered to himself as he walked back through the police headquarters and to his waiting bike.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Alec's place**

862 stumbled through the door tiredly and collapsed on the bed completely ignoring his worried friend. He looked over as Alec settled on the bed. "What happened?"

None of the bruises were visible but Alec knew how he acted when he was in pain. "I failed a task White gave me."

"You failed?" Alec raised an eyebrow. "What happened?" He undid 862's shirt and pulled it off before going to the sink to get fresh water and a towel to clean up the blood.

"They caught some girl from S1W, I decided it would be better for everyone if White didn't get his hands on her so I let 452 get her out." 862 sighed. "White wasn't impressed. For a human he is rather strong."

"He just beat you up?" Alec asked as he softly dabbed at the few cuts that 862 had. "Why did you let him?"

"If I'm going to be on any help I have to be close to him." 862 sighed. "I'll heal before long."

"You should just come with me. We can split, go to Canada." Alec protested.

"You should." 862 told him before propping himself up on his elbows, his shirt falling back to reveal bruised sides. "I have to make up for what I did. I sent four transgenics into that trap, Alec. I killed four of our brothers and sisters."

"You didn't know what you were doing!" Alec told him with more emotion than was meant for X-5's. 862 said nothing. "I'm not leaving without you. I failed somebody I loved once before, I'm not doing it again."

"Somebody you loved?" 862 croaked realising the implication.

"I care about you Riley, I don't know how yet but I do care somehow." Alec sighed. "And somewhere under that façade you use you feel the same, otherwise you wouldn't be risking yourself to avenge four transgenics."

"You loved her didn't you?" 862 asked. "Rachel I mean."

He looked shocked. "How…?"

"You kept calling her name in your nightmares." 862 told him softly and caught his hand as it slide across his chest with the damp towel. His wounds were already all closed. By the end of the day there wouldn't be a mark left. "You don't have to tell me anything but I'm here for you none the less."

"Thanks Riley." Alec muttered and drew him into a hug.

"Where's 452?" 862 asked.

"Why?"

"White's got something going down. He going to test something on 692, something that targets our DNA." 862 told him. "I heard the agents talking about it when I left."

"I'll call her." Alec said and reached for his phone. He dialled a number and it rung a few times before he heard 452's voice on the other end.

"Max. We've got trouble."

"_You've always got trouble, I'm not going to bail you out this time."_ She snapped back.

862 grabbed the phone from Alec who gave it up without a fight. "Would you shut up and listen 452?" He snapped. "I did just let you take Barlow without a fight."

"_So it was you then?" _She asked.

He didn't answer. "I had to let him kick the shit out of me for letting you go so at least hear me out. He's got a test planned in Sector Four and he's got 692 as a test subject. He's got surveillance running and if I show I'll be made."

"_We already knew the how but not the where. Thanks Riley." _She said without thinking.

"Don't you dare." 862 snapped and hung up.

"What are you going to do?" Alec asked.

"You think I trust her to do something right?" 862 grinned at Alec. "I'm going to save her arse before she gets caught."

"I thought you said he'd have surveillance?" Alec protested.

"If I get caught I can say that I was just following her." 862 shrugged and continued when Alec opened his mouth. "No, you're not coming with me."

"Why not? I'm as trained as you are!"

"But you cant get out of it if you're caught." 862 reasoned.

"Just be careful?"

"Of course!"862 smirked. "Besides, I'm Riley, I'm untouchable."

"You just called yourself Riley." Alec grinned playfully.

_Riley_ lost his smile before he shrugged. "I'm still not letting anyone else call me that."

"You're losing it, my friend." Alec smirked back as well.

Riley stood and did up his shirt before donning his jacket with a groan as it tensed his shoulder muscles.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector 4 check point**

Riley flashed his badge and drove through but pulled up short on the other side. A glance showed him that a truck full of gear had been dumped down a side alley with the back just open enough to see through. It wasn't an obvious clue but he'd seen the same truck earlier that day at the warehouse. He focused through the gap and saw an empty container with a biohazard warning on it.

"Hey!" He yelled as he pulled off his helmet and faced two state troopers with oxygen masks at their waists. "Give me one of those."

They glanced at their commanding officer but after a nod did as they said. He donned the mask quickly and ran off down the alley following the footsteps of a man just slightly overweight. It couldn't have been a transgenic, they didn't get fat.

He'd only just got on the trail when something burst over his head. He focused on the falling debris. A rocket of some kind, one that probably released a chemical. He picked up his pace before the trail hit a fire escape. He vaulted the first few ladders and grabbed onto the last before jumping to the roof. He glanced around before jogging over the slanted roof.

He leapt down onto a balcony looking over a factory of some kind. An open topped water tank sat against the building with his quarry standing over it. As he watched two figures became obvious within the water.

He pulled the gun, the same one as the night before, out of his waist band and crouched with the pistol against the metal barrier to get a proper aim. He could've hit the target without much of an aim but he wasn't risking the lives of two X-5's on it even if he happened to hate one of them.

The man glanced at his watch just as the two came up for air. 452 took a big gulp so Riley pulled his mask off figuring it was safe and that without it he could hear the conversation.

"Lady!" The man spat. "I have no idea who you are but you just cost me five million dollars!"

Riley fired a single bullet that crashed straight through the man's skull. He fell forwards into the water already tainting it with blood.

"Hey!" A man shouted as Riley stood. He turned and saw Eyes-only and the Inspector that he had tricked at the Sector One police station. The police officer had his own gun trained on him. "Put the gun down!"

Riley put the gun back in his waistband before turning to look at 452 and 692 below him, both were looking at him in astonishment. "Get him out of the City before White finds him again." Riley said with just enough volume that the two X-5's would hear him but the humans wouldn't.

With that Riley vaulted the three metres to the roof and vanished from sight, heading back to the relative sanity of Alec's place.

XOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	6. A Closer Watch

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 6; A Closer Watch

**Sector 6; A derelict warehouse**

Riley crouched low against the iron wall of the large building listening to the voices within as his eyes scanned the street for any sign of life. A hooker walked passed at a brisk pace obviously unwilling to walk alone for long in the darkness of night. He's asked Alec to join him but his closest brother had claimed that he had something he needed to do. Something to pay 452 back for removing the explosive device from his head.

He was on a mission for White anyway, which he was sure Alec wouldn't really want to be a part of anyway even if Riley planned on mucking with the objectives. White's men had managed to track down a rogue scientist from Manticore who had managed, somehow, to subdue two seventeen year old X-6's. Riley's mission was to infiltrate, learn what the scientist was planning for the two soldiers and then kill all three of them.

Riley could hear the scientist moving around within the building as well as another man, South African by the sound of his accent. Riley spread out his senses and felt the two X-6's and to his surprise an X-7. This boy was obviously the method the scientist had used to subdue the X-6's. They were faster and stronger than X-5's and X-6's though the X-5 series were far more skilled. Manticore had tested the X-5's by pitting them against the X-7's in recent years. Riley had been the only X-5 in Manticore that had managed to take on more than two of them at one time.

Riley straightened from his crouch and leapt straight up, he grabbed the edge of the roof and flipped over onto the slanted roof without a sound. He skimmed lightly over the roof to a skylight. He had to search for a clearing in the cloudy surface to see through it but he eventually got a view of the two story area below him. He let his pupils widen to zoom in on the ground below him and easily found the two humans. He'd have to take them out before the X-7 could mobilise he just wished he didn't have to kill the X-7 as well but they were loyal to the hive mind which was under the control of White.

The scientist would have had to severe that link somehow and that would have given him unquestioned loyalty from the X-7. Riley saw the South African glance sideways at something in the shadows and Riley followed his view to see a small boy, no more than ten years of age waiting patiently in the shadows near to two cages containing the X-6's.

Without another thought Riley jumped through the skylight drawing his pistol as he fell. He fired twice catching the two human's. The South African went down with a bullet in his forehead as he looked up whilst the scientist died when a bullet went down through his shoulder into his heart. Riley landed heavily on the ground between them just as the X-7 ran forward. He fired twice but the bullets missed as the child dodged with inhuman speed and agility, barely slowing his forward momentum.

Riley threw the gun to the side and fell into a fighting stance. As the X-7 closed the gap Riley jumped into a forward somersault flipping over the smaller child as he ran forwards. He lashed out with his fists connecting with his head before he used the momentum to twist his body and land on one knee facing the stumbling X-7 who spun in turn to face him. "Stand down, X-7!" Riley snapped hoping to use his officer status at Manticore to gain control of the transgenic. It didn't work. The X-7, cut off from the hive mind, was little more than a bloodthirsty warrior with no mind for anything but fighting and following his master's orders. They exchanged punches and kicks for a time becoming a blur to any human's watching, if there were any.

Eventually Riley got an opening after breaking the boy's arm. He cradled it for a second and Riley darted in and grabbed his neck. He accepted the blow that bruised one of his ribs before jerking his wrist and snapping his neck. He dropped the body and stepped over it towards the two cages.

The two X-6's shrunk away from him as he scooped up his pistol and aimed it at them. He fired once at each cage and the doors sprung open as the locks were shattered. "Get out." He ordered.

They glanced at each other before crawling out of the cages and standing up warily as they watched his every move. "We heard about you." The taller one spoke as they both fell into fighting stances.

"Killing your own kind." The other glared at him before glancing at the dead X-7.

"Sometimes staying in the darkness is the best way to help the light." Riley told them with a sigh before holstering the pistol. "He's no more one of us than we are humans."

They glanced at him carefully but relaxed slightly. "We heard you were helping White track us and kill us." The older said. "The others said so."

"I'm not on his side." Riley sighed. "Get out of here, leave the city as soon as you can." They glanced at each other before relaxing slightly and then nodded to him. They turned away from him and started to leave the room. Riley stopped them quickly. "Stay together."

They glanced at him and nodded. Riley turned to the three dead bodies before pulling out a small bottle of gasoline from his inside pocket. He poured it over the X-7's body to make sure nobody could recognise it for what it was before he dropped the small brick of C4 on the ground already with the detonator in it. He strolled out of the warehouse before triggering the remote. The shock of the explosion pushed his hair forward around his face and the sound of falling glass quickly followed it as the windows were blown out. Fire raged throwing a wide glare of light around the dark street.

Riley grabbed his Ninja from a small alley and turned the key before tearing off down the road. Mission accomplished. Riley didn't bother to call in the success, he was due to report to White directly in the morning. Tonight though he wanted a good nights rest and Alec near by. Dear Lady, he was getting sentimental.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Alec's apartment; Sector 4**

Riley was already awake and ready to leave the next morning. He was to meet White near the docks at eight. To his surprise Alec woke up before he left. "What are you doing awake?" Riley laughed. "I thought you wanted to make the most of being out of Manticore and never wake before you needed to?"

"That's precisely what I'm doing. But I'm going to get a job at that place Max works at." Alec told him as he hopped out of bed in his underwear. Riley turned slightly to give him some privacy, not that they had ever shown each other any privacy in Manticore but it seemed like they should now that they were free. "I'm tired of having to sneak through the sector points."

"And they hand out entire passes?" Riley asked. "That cant be the only reason."

Alec shrugged. "I get to scope out houses for merchandise too."

"Thought as much." Riley chuckled before he ducked out of the room with a brief wave. It took him only twenty minutes to ride to the docks and he pulled up in front of two black cars where White and his two normal Agents waited for him. He jumped off and shut off the engine before approaching stoically. The two agents stopped him by stepping forwards slightly.

"Your mission was successful?" White asked.

"All objectives were completed. All three targets were taken care of and the warehouse destroyed along with an addition human and an X-7 closed off from the hive mind." Riley told him.

"The other X-7's have already been taken care of." White told him. Riley realised that that was why the X-7 had followed the scientists orders, without the hive mind he'd just answered to any Manticore personnel. "What of the scientist's plans?"

"To sell the X-6's to the South Africans. The buyer was there and is now dead." Riley reported.

"So you took out two humans, an X-7 and two X-6's?" One of the Agents asked rather sceptically.

Riley turned a slight glare on the man breaking his eye contact with White for the first time since arriving. "The human's didn't stand a chance, the X-7 was more difficult and the two X-6's were caged. Any X-5 could have done the same."

"Where are the bodies?" White asked.

"I only had enough gasoline to leave the X-7 there though it will be unrecognisable. The humans I left for the explosion since it didn't matter if they were recognised." Riley explained truthfully before starting to lie. "I dumped the X-6's in the Sector 6 hospital incinerator."

"So it is completely contained?" White asked to be sure.

"Completely." Riley assured him.

"Good, I have another mission for you. This time I'm sending Agent Walker as backup." White told him.

"With all due respect, I'm faster without a human to slow me down." Riley protested.

"His presence isn't negotiable." White told him in a tone of dismissal. "He'll explain the mission to you."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector nine; Logan's Penthouse**

"Practically had it in my hand!" Max cried out to Logan as they chatted before she had to go to work. "My Fence even had a buyer lined up. Fifteen Grand!"

"And Alec had to come along and ruin everything." Logan surmised with amusement.

"I couldn't believe it!" Max continued barely listening to him.

"And it was your heist." Logan grinned. "You were there first."

"That's what _I_ said!" Max ranted. "And I bet you he was gonna take whatever he got from it and blow it on hookers and beer!"

"Guy has no decency." His chuckle didn't seem to distract her though.

"Tell me about it." She grabbed at her jacket.

"And the nerve to rip off what you were already stealing!" Logan did actually chuckle this time.

"Exactly, It's like he's a child who doesn't know right from wrong!" She cried out. This time Logan couldn't help but laugh. "Are you busting on me?"

Logan playfully widened his eyes and put on an innocent look. "Me?"

"I only steal from bad people and only for a good cause." Max protested.

"Like when you need a part for you bike, or a cocktail dress for a wedding?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Without my motorcycle, I can't...and the whole dress thing...I was gonna return it...and this isn't even about me." She stammered before turning on him. "This is about you."

"How do you mean?" Logan asked.

"I went after that baseball to pay you back the money you lost on that doctor." Max told him sincerely.

"Really?" Logan asked her.

"Really." Max told him. Logan made a noise of surrender in the back of his throat. "But seeing as how you feel, I guess I'll just forget about it."

"Yeah. I guess so." He sighed. "I mean, I could use the cash...to keep Eyes Only going. But...I'll figure it out."

"I guess I could find something else to steal." Max sighed but her smirk gave her away.

"There are a lot of bad people out there." Logan sighed. "Speaking of which, you might want to see this."

He led her into the office and pulled up a police report that Detective Matt Sung had sent him. "There's been a fire…so?" She asked looking at a photo of a burnt out warehouse.

"They found three bodies. Two were identifiable but the third was burnt to a crisp but they think it was a ten or so year old boy who had been in a fight previously." Logan told her. "I managed to ID one of the men as an ex-scientist at Manticore."

"Then the boy was a transgenic?" Max gasped.

"Who ever killed him was strong." Logan told her, "His arm was broken clean through and his neck snapped with one hand. A professional job too by the looks of it. Both men shot from above and two cages with the locks shattered by bullets."

"Only another transgenic could do that." Max said. "What about the cages?"

"There wasn't much left of them." Logan told her. "Whoever did it blew the area up with a sizeable amount of C4."

"That's hard to come by." Max said. "But what happened to whatever was in the cages?"

"Maybe it was a rescue." Logan asked. "It's the same type of cage used to hold the two X-5's that Riley captured before Manticore went up."

"Riley?" Max chocked slightly. "I'll ask Alec if I'm unfortunate enough to run into him."

"Bye Max." Logan said as she spun off the edge of the table and headed for the door.

"Bye." She muttered as she went.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector point**

Riley glanced around him as Walker spoke snappishly to the two sector cops set to guard the alleyway near to the check point where a rather hefty queue was backing up because of the doubled guards that were checking everyone through carefully. As soon as Walker had finished the meaningless chatter with the cops Riley walked passed glancing at everything as he went.

The body hadn't been taken yet, though it had been covered with another cop's jacket. Riley settled lightly by the side of the body and pulled the jacket away. He smirked sideways at the hardened agent as he recoiled from the image. The man's face was cut to shreds by both claws and teeth and his tongue had been pulled out.

He traced the teeth marks without actually touching the skin and then glanced around before he stood, intent on leaving. "You can't be done already."

"Those teeth are dog teeth, either he was attacked by dogs or something similar." He told the Federal Agent pointedly since they were being listened to by the cops. The man's eyes widened slightly. "Let's go, I'm hungry and your paying."

"What!?" Walker cried as they headed for Riley's Ninja. "Why am I paying?"

"You expect me to have money?" Riley scoffed before he shut the man up by gunning the engine. They got lunch at a small vendor and Riley walked off forcing the Agent, who he didn't like at all, to pay for it. They headed for the morgue that afternoon so that Riley could check the first victim of the attack and he came to the same conclusion. Why White needed him for this he really didn't know, the coroners report said the exact same thing as he had.

"Now what?" Walker asked after an hour of searching the slums for signs of a dog hybrid and with the sun nearing the horizon.

"Now, I drop you off at a police headquarters so you can get a lift home and I pick you up in the morning." Riley told him apathetically.

"Huh?" The Agent seemed shocked by this.

"You want to continue searching in the dark 'cause I don't." Riley chuckled. "This thing's strong enough to overcome cops and tear out their tongues for no reason other than pleasure. You want to find that in the middle of night with no moon?"

True enough that night would be the dark of the moon and only Riley would be able to see anything in the areas of the city that didn't have lighting. The Agent seemed to realise this as well as he hastily agreed.

Riley didn't go back to Alec's that night nor did he try to call him since he wasn't sure if White would be following him, as it was the man was setting his Federal Agents on him. Riley knew his position was precarious at best since White hated transgenics more than he should and had already admitted to killing dozens both at the trap and those working for him. Riley figured that he was probably the only one working for White now and eventually he'd be betrayed as well.

Chances were White knew he was in contact with other X-5's. The fact he was too good not to have found some of his former classmates and having not brought any in it was slightly obvious he was holding back. He had a plan to get a message to Alec though to get him to stay clear of him and he'd do it tomorrow. He had told that git of a man Walker to meet him outside Sector 1 police headquarters knowing that he'd be there earlier to try to find out which direction Riley came from. Riley on the other hand intended to make a side trip.

He crashed at his own rather lacking flat with its small store of food and money and a mattress on the floor and sighed regretfully as his head hit the ground. If only Lydecker hadn't sent him out he'd be living free from all this. Had Lydecker sent him out because he knew what would happen and why had he only sent one X-5 to capture two especially in their own setting.

Lydecker had either hoped that he'd be captured by the rogue X-5's or would be killed by them. That was assuming Lydecker hadn't been sure that he'd be successful but Lydecker wasn't a man to trust to things like that, he should've sent a two man team for two X-5's. Unfortunately he hadn't been able to get hold of the man on the same number as he'd been contacted on. It took Riley a long time to get to sleep that night.

_Riley looked to the right at Max and then to the left at Zack as they waited for Lydecker's signal. Their objective, to hunt down and subdue the human; status armed and capable of killing. He felt the adrenaline flood his system as the man was released into the forest and his seven year old form couldn't wait to be running through the undergrowth chasing a prey that was less superior to himself._

"_Go!" Lydecker's, for once welcomed, voice told them quietly and the twenty of them shot forwards as if springs were behind them. His class darted through the trees spreading out in case the man tried to double back. They kept in groups of threes only splitting apart to dodge trees and always in contact with the groups on their left and right. Riley saw the flash of blue that betrayed their prey and he, Zack and Max put on a burst of speed as Ben, Krit and Zane on their left went around wider._

_The human twisted slightly and the three of them ducked low to the ground as a bullet flew close over their heads. Their stride barely paused though as Riley span forwards and kicked the gun from the man's hand. Zack and Max distracted him as Riley recovered and circled the man. He drew a knife and Max leant backwards to dodge it. She saw Krit come up behind them man and she feinted for the man's knife. Predictably he swept it backwards out of her reach and Krit kicked it violently from his hand sending it flying into a tree._

_The man tried to spin to face Krit but Zack kicked the back of his knee sending him to the ground. By now another two trio's had circled in on them with the rest coming at a run. The man tried to fight but Riley's family were just toying with him now, waiting for him to attack before feinting away whilst another sent him to the ground. Ben darted forward and threw the man, four times his weight, hard onto the ground and Riley swept in and hit him just below the ribs forcing the wind out of his lungs._

_Brin caught the top of his blue shirt and it tore revealing a heart on his chest with an arrow through it. The peculiar part of him made them stop their attack. "He's a 'Nomaly!" Ben gasped._

"_Kill the 'Nomaly!" Somebody cried out._

Riley almost screamed as he bolted upright, coming to his feet in a split second as his chest heaved through his sweat stained shirt. The nightmare rebounded around his mind, flashing images of blood stained hands and faces and the battered corpse of a human. Riley stood shakily and glanced out the window. Thank the Lady it was morning enough to not have to try to sleep again. Alec could never have understood what he did that night. The first person he had helped to kill. Alec knew what had happened, probably from one of the others there but the ones that had actually done the damage that day had all ran in '09 except for him.

He submerged his head in stale water trapped in his sink and after flattening his wild hair slightly he put on a stolen dark green t-shirt and headed out. His first stop was the Sector 4 police headquarters.

He pulled to a stop by the building beside the drab looking place and took the keys from the Ninja and slipped up the fire escape and across the roof. He settled on the edge of the building and looked down at the windows and alley below him. Two cops walked about on patrol making sure nobody had gotten through the fences at either end of the alley but nobody else was about. Riley took a few steps back from the edge and then bolted forward and leapt the gap silently. He checked over his shoulder as he landed to make sure neither cop had seen him before dashing across the roof to the access door.

Shoddy defences proved themselves once again as the door was unlocked, if it could even be locked and he slipped inside. Taking on a more human-like grace, or rather lack of grace, he walked through the halls looking for his target and soon found him after only having to produce his ID twice. He saw the man walking towards him and ducked into an unused office. He waited for the man to walk passed before smoothly grabbing him and pulling him into the room.

He kept one hand over Detective Sung's mouth to prevent him from making any sound and the other tightly around his neck to warn him away from moving. He checked out into the corridor but nobody had been attentive enough to notice the split second of activity. He loosened his hand on the man's mouth and he took a gulp of air still unwilling to cry out or struggle with the grip around his neck.

"Detective Matt Sung." Riley stated. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, you're…" Riley squeezed on his neck slightly to cut him off. Sung shook his head slightly before continuing. "No, I don't."

"Good. I'm not going to hurt you. I want you to pass on a message." Riley said as he released the man. Sung instantly went for his gun only to find it in Riley's hand with two paces between them. "I know you inform Eyes-Only of matters that concern him."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The Detective argued.

"You passed the warning on when you found me snooping regardless of the fact you were playing straight into my hands." Sung gulped. "Relax, Sung. If I wanted to bust you I could just hand you over to less subtle men. Like I said I want you to pass a message onto Eyes-Only so he can pass it to the right person."

"I don't know who Eyes-Only is." Sung protested and Riley actually believed his sincere look. He obviously thought Logan was just a go between. Riley couldn't care less but he wouldn't expose the man when he needed his help to pass the message.

"Pass it on to your go between then. Can you do that?"

"Will it hurt anyone?" Sung asked as good as admitting his involvement with Eyes-Only.

"It will possibly save several good people including your Eyes-Only." Riley told him. "Even if it doesn't he can decide whether to act on it or not."

"What is it?" Sung asked.

Riley passed him a slip of paper with a message on it. It started off with Alec's barcode number though it was in a mixed up way that Alec and Riley had decided on if they needed to go anonymous by all but each other. The rest of the message was simpler, it was the Manticore code to warn off allies because you were being watched. Finally it was signed by his own barcode, again mixed up. Hopefully Logan would think to pass it on to 452 who would recognise the code if not the verification in the form of the two barcodes. She'd have to go to Alec for that.

Finally, Sung gave up trying to understand the stream of numbers and letters and looked up to find the room empty except for his gun on the table with the magazine and a single bullet on the table. He hadn't heard a sound but the window was now open.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Logan's apartment; Lunch time**

Max walked into the apartment and found Logan by his computer, she instantly saw that he was rather annoyed looking.

"Hey." He said pleasantly enough. "I've been paging you all morning."

"Couldn't find a payphone." She shrugged it off. "What's up?"

"Two things actually." He sighed. "Another Sector Cop was attacked last night. That's three in a week."

"Yeah, I heard something about that." She said rather unconcerned.

"This one survived. Claims he was jumped by some half-man, half-animal." Max turned and headed for the lounge. Logan grabbed a slip of paper from the counter but Max ignored the action as he followed her. "Good news is that nobody believes him. Apparently he's known for drinking on the job."

"What do they think it is then?" She asked.

"Pack of wild dogs, maybe, or some coyotes that wandered into the city." He looked sceptical.

"Makes sense." It didn't to her but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"Except for the half-man, half-human part." Max turned away as he said it and looked out of the window. "I don't get it, I thought you'd be all over this."

"I cant just chase down every rumour that comes along." She sighed.

"It's not a rumour, Max. Two cops are dead and the third's in the hospital with his tongue ripped out of his head." Logan protested. "If a transgenic's responsible, you have to do something before anyone else gets hurt."

"Give me some solid evidence and I _will _do something." She told him.

"I'm working on it." He sighed before deciding to drop his concern for her anxiety for later. "Matt Sung was accosted by you're transgenic friend this morning."

"Who, Alec?" Max asked. "Is this the second thing?"

He nodded to answer the second thing. "I mean 862, Matt Sung thinks he's a special branch out of the FBI. He told him to pass on a message to Eyes-Only." Logan winced. It didn't help his sense of safety that not only had the X-5 working for Ames White found his true identity so easily but also a major member of his informant net.

"What was it?" Max asked only half interested.

"I don't know, I cant make heads or tails of it." He told her passing her the slip of paper. "It's some sort of coded letter but I cant crack it and neither can Sebastian." He said referring to his ingenious, though paralysed, friend.

"I don't recognise the first or last bit, if it's from Riley than it's probably bar code numbers but it doesn't fit anything I know of. We'd have to ask Alec if he knows what it is." Max told him. "The middle part, the bit with the letters in it is basic Manticore code. It's the written version of 'Sniper targeting me'.

"Why would he want to tell me that?" Logan asked.

"He doesn't." She paused studying the codenames for a time. "This first one could be Alec's barcode mixed up, all the numbers are there and the last could be Riley's. If so then he's warning Alec to stay away from him. Obviously getting the message to you and hoping you'd pass it on was the safest way."

"If that's true you had better pass it on to Alec." Logan told her. "And Max?"

"Yeah?" She said as she turned to leave in a hurry. Alec had been planning on going to Riley's place at lunch to try to find him and as much as she was annoyed at him at the moment she couldn't let him walk into a trap.

"You'd better stay clear too." Logan told her with concern.

"We always used to joke about that code saying it meant, 'Save yourselves, I'm already dead.'" She sighed before gathering herself up again, she left before anything more could be said.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Jam Pony's**

Max ran in ignoring Normal's question about where she'd been for the last hour and ran straight to the back where she almost sighed at seeing Alec joking with Herbal and Stretchy. She grabbed the back of his collar violently and pulled him back.

"What!?" He yelped. "Huh?"

She let go of him as soon as they were alone. "Were you still going to try to find Riley at lunch?" He nodded with a frown his worry so clear on his face that Max had to quickly rethink her thoughts on Alec's pure selfishness. "Well don't."

"What?" He growled. She waved the paper in front of him and he snatched it from her. He scanned it and a look of pure horror appeared on his face. "How did you get this?"

"Riley…"

"Don't call him that!" Alec snapped with more emotion then was usual.

She sighed. "_He_ ambushed one of Logan's informants and told him to pass it on to Logan. Logan gave it to me 'cause he couldn't understand it." She shrugged. "Is that your number then?"

"And _his."_ He seemed unwilling, or too scared, to say his name in the open with the note in his hand. "We made up the scramble in case somebody found our notes, they could be rearranged into nearly fifty different barcodes. The rest you already know."

"So what does it mean?"

"He's working for White at the moment…"

"Out of his own choice."

"Shut up, Max." Alec didn't take that bit any further. "My guess is White sent an agent to keep an eye on him."

"What?" Max asked. "Surveillance?"

"Not in the whole cloak and dagger sense. He'd just kill anyone that followed him that way, he can sense them a mile away no matter their training." She nodded her agreement, Riley could sense everyone's presence unless they were X-5's. "He's being forced to work with one of them and doesn't want anyone like me showing up and getting caught."

"What are you going to do?" Max asked suspiciously.

"This isn't to do with you." Alec snapped again rather uncharacteristically. "Just stay away from him."

"White already knows who I am, it doesn't matter if he sees me. I can take out anyone else on him." Max protested.

"You don't get it do you!?" Alec snarled. "I lived for ten year listening to his nightmares about those that betrayed him. If he sees you alone right now he'd probably hand you over to White, if he doesn't kill you himself."

"Why do you think he could just beat me?" Max asked with a frown.

"Puh-lease Maxie!" Alec drawled. "He can take on any Transgenic in Manticore one-on-one. He is the only one of us that could fight off three X-7's without a scratch." He span on his heel, visions of Riley being shot in the back of the head by White flashing through his mind whilst he was just out of arms reach.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector 1; Hospital**

Riley was bored more than anything else, moving about the city with a human watch dog was tiring him. The Agent was rather obviously watching his actions carefully, so much so that Riley was so close to just killing him. He'd almost snapped the man's neck after leaving the scene of last nights attack and for no more reason than the look he'd been given. He wondered if his short temper had anything to do with his nightmare the night before.

It was shortly after two in the afternoon, just after visiting hours, when they walked into the hospital ward that the survivor was placed. Riley's orders, passed on by Walker, were to find out what the cop knew and eliminate him if it was necessary. Riley walked through the upper corridor with Walker on his right and a step behind him and noticed Logan walk out of the room they were heading for. He distracted the man by dodging a doctor so that he nudged the man sideways so that the Agent didn't see Logan coming out of the room.

Logan saw him though, he seemed to ponder whether to say anything but Riley flicked his eyes to his right and saw Logan glance at Walker before ignoring him completely. He'd gotten the warning then and hopefully passed it on. Riley sighed slightly getting a strange look from Walker before they walked passed Logan and turned into the room.

The cop looked strained and in pain. Riley felt a pang go through him. He hated White in that instant but he couldn't show any emotion with White's lap dog so close. That must have been why Ames White had set his Agents on him, to find out how he killed. If you knew how people felt when they killed you knew almost everything about them.

Walker questioned the man as well as possible but Riley only half listened. The clues around the room were enough to tell him everything he needed to know. An old newspaper sitting on the side with 452's canine-hybrid's image on the front, left here recently and also the box of tissues on the side table was turn on it's head and the barcode facing to where Walker was now standing.

Logan had just been questioning him and it seemed established that the culprit was a hybrid with a barcode on the back of his neck. Riley worked this out in seconds, the time it took the agent to find out that this cop was attacked the night before. Riley let Walker continue questioning him as he thought thing over. 452's hybrid didn't have a barcode that Riley had seen which meant that another one was out there, with rather less tact and much more violent.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Excuse me?" Walker span on him.

"Are you finished?" Riley said slowly and deliberately as if speaking to a stupid person. Walker seemed to almost bristle at the insult but moved toward the door. "I'll catch up."

"I'll wait." Walker told him sternly proving his purpose there. It was stupid to hang around for this and incriminate them both. Riley would have done it and then snuck out unseen, now though they'd both be seen leaving the room just after he died. Riley shook his head before moving to the cops side and pulled out the IV that was keeping the man hydrated.

He didn't look at the man but kept a hold of his arm as he tried to fight back. Riley knew he wouldn't leave any permanent marks and he inserted the IV needle back into the same hole in the man's lower arm but instead of putting it in the vein he placed it in the artery. All it took now was to squeeze the IV bag tightly and the man's heart was starved of blood. He jerked as the pain spread through him but it was over in seconds.

With any luck it would seem as if the man had suffered a heart attack, though Riley didn't care if they discovered he was murdered. People were murdered in the city everyday. Riley spun away from the dead man and strolled out passed Walker and down the corridor intent on being far away from the hospital before the body was discovered.

Riley took the agent back to the docks that evening to make a report in person to White. He was forced to wait whilst White argued with someone down the phone out of what he thought was hearing range. It seemed that their killer had been caught and White was taking control.

White hung up the phone and Riley waited for him to come toward him rather then honour him with his own servitude. "The cops dead?" White asked.

"Of course!" Riley snapped without being able to stop himself. "What else did you expect?"

A brief look of disgust traced across the man's face just before his hand darted out and smacked into the side of Riley's face. Riley didn't even flinch, he could have dodged it or even retaliated in the time the man recovered from the blow but he knew it would do him no good. The man's speed and strength still confused him though. White took deep breathes to control himself before turning back to him. "The sector police got lucky and caught the hybrid. They're holding him in a facility near the edge of sector three and four. Go there and kill the hybrid, dispose of the body and do what needs to be done to keep this under wraps."

"What about the men that have seen him?" Riley asked.

"I just told you to do what is needed." White snapped before he spun and walked off. Riley almost snarled in disgust, the man wanted people killed but was too scared to order it himself. Riley turned to leave but noticed that Walker had been called over to White. Riley sat on his Ninja and waited as they underestimated him once again. "Walker." White was whispering. "Once he does his job take care of him."

Riley didn't have to wait long before the agent was on the back of his bike and he was speeding his way through Seattle towards where they were holding the hybrid. It was getting dark and Riley found himself half hoping that if it was 452's hybrid that she had moved fast enough to get him out.

He didn't know why he cared for a simple hybrid's life, it wasn't anything to do with 452, that he was sure, nor was it out of any particular care for the hybrid. Maybe it was just his way of paying back for those he sent to their deaths. Either way he had to fight back the relieved sigh as he saw two forms leap across the roofs. One paused as they landed and Riley spared the time to zoom in on 452's features.

He turned away from her and towards the door to the concrete building where he could hear barking within and he started towards it easily noticing when a beat up car stopped just down the road and White's other agent snuck out. He tried not to laugh but a chuckle escaped regardless. Obviously White had decided that perhaps a specially trained fighting machine needed two men to attempt to kill.

He and Walker walked inside and down a side corridor following the sounds of barking. Riley pulled out his gun when he realised that the barking wasn't normal. He walked into a room to find three cops fighting off six rather enraged dogs. He wondered then just how much of a dog the hybrid was. He chuckled and the alpha dog turned to him with a snarl making Walker back up quickly and pull out his own gun.

Riley crouched slightly and glared at the dog, baring his teeth slightly. The dog seemed to size him up before his cheeks lowered and his tail wagged slightly. Riley jerked his head toward a side door labelled Canines and the dog turned to it's pack and barked. One by one the six dogs slipped into the room and one of the cops closed and locked the doors.

"My name is Agent Faedren, this is Agent Walker. Where is the prisoner?"

"It escaped with the help of a woman." One of the cops said.

"Her name?" Riley asked with a glare. Really how hard was it to keep someone locked in a room.

"She said her name was Max. Someone from New World Weekly." The cop told him.

"You were ordered to keep this secret." Walker put in as he holstered his gun. "Does anyone else know of this?"

"No Sir." The cop said, "Only these few here and one other prisoner in there." He said pointing down a side corridor.

"Good." Riley said before pulling his own gun. He fired three times before neither they, nor Walker, could react and the three cops went down onto the ground dead before they landed. "I'm not doing everything here, you can take care of the prisoner. That's assuming you have the stomach to do your own work."

Walker glared at him before storming off down the side corridor as Riley headed for the Canines. He opened the door and they swarmed out to attack before seeing him and coming to a halt. He held his hand out for the alpha to lick. "Go find your master."

He didn't know whether they understood him or just wanted out but they swarmed off down the corridor to the exit, their claws scratching against the tiled floor. A silenced shot echoed in his ears and Riley stood waiting for Walker to return.

"We done here?" Riley asked with a raised eyebrow.

Walker obviously got the hint in those words and nodded to show that he had in fact had the stomach to kill someone. Riley spun on his heels and headed outside into the darkness lit only by a single fire in a bin where one of the cops would normally stand guard. In the dim light Riley could make out a man with a worn out cloak around his shoulders crouched near the gate. Riley glanced upwards at the sky to take a deep, refreshing, breath.

He walked down the steps onto the courtyard below and noticed that Walker slipped in a few steps behind him and a soft sound of fabric moving. He smirked visibly and noticed movement in one of the windows of the building in front of them. Obviously White had sent more backup for Walker and his partner.

The 'homeless' man moved slightly as he stood and just before Riley reached him he spun around with a silenced pistol pointing at Riley's chest. Riley recognised him in an instant as the second agent and darted to the right just slow enough for the man to readjust his aim. Riley twisted his body as the shot fired and heard a satisfying fleshy thunk as the bullet sunk into Walker. Riley jumped forward and ripped the gun from the Agent's hand and smacked it across his head with enough force to break his neck.

He turned to Walker and crouched by his side. "White's an idiot if he thinks he's the one controlling this game. You have…what?…ten years training?" Riley asked as he examined the shoulder wound from friendly fire. "We each have twenty years training far more intense then anything you have ever faced and you try to ambush me?"

Walker tried to speak but only a croak came out. "I was going to kill you, human, but I think I'll let you take this knowledge to your boss. I don't know what his plan is, its not the same as yours…that's for sure…but I'll stop him. We all will." Riley stood slowly and glanced at the pistol in his hand rethinking his decision.

He threw his senses out around him in all directions and knew instantly that the two men hidden within the building across the street were moving slightly. The rest of his plan came into place at that instant.

Riley span on his heel and strode toward his bike ignoring the fact that Walker was moving ever so slightly. Riley took a deep breath wishing that this plan wasn't so risky and wouldn't hurt so much. He'd done exactly this before, had been specially trained to pull it off. His ears picked up the soft scrap of metal against stone as Walker lifted his gun from where he had dropped it.

The shot didn't surprise Riley in the least and he dodged ever so slightly as the bullet passed through his upper left chest, just missing his heart but not by much. His body was jerked around by the shot and he was thrown sideways into a derelict car by the side of the road. He span as he landed on the ground and watched as Walker collapsed again evidently satisfied by his shot.

Riley waited, ignoring the pain from his shoulder, until the two onlookers from the building ran out. One ran towards him whilst the other went to check on Walker. Riley let his eyes shut and focused on his training. Even as he focused on his breathing he felt his heart rate slow, glad that the gunshot wound hadn't severed anything of importance except for probably breaking a few ribs and clipping his lung.

His breathing slowing took an undecipherable flow of air through his nose and his heart rate became so soft that only a transgenic could read it. He felt the gun ripped from his hand with a kick and then fingers on his throat as he slipped into a shallow coma that was, as far as these humans were concerned, as good as death.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Crash**

Alec gulped down half his beer as he listened to Max and Logan talk across the table from him. "I shouldn't have let them out Logan. I should have known something like this would happen." Max was grouching.

"Hey!" Alec couldn't help butting in. "Recent escapee here!"

Max sent him a glare but Logan interrupted her. "You did the right thing, the only thing."

"Tell that to the families of the cops that died." Max sighed. "I mean, Isaac killed two and who knows what Riley's been doing."

"What did I tell you about calling him that, Max." Alec said but without really caring.

"I guessed he killed that cop at the hospital." Logan muttered. "But who else could he have killed?"

"The ones that captured Joshua." Max told him. "I saw him going in with that Agent just after we left. He probably killed the three in there."

"Why?" Logan asked.

Max opened her mouth to answer but Alec cut her off. "He was ordered to by White." Alec snapped. "And even if he wasn't he would have done what was necessary to maintain our secret. You were seen Max. You said it yourself, those cops saw you."

"Well at least it's over now." Logan put in.

"Hey, Neal!" Max shouted suddenly as she caught sight of the police prison she had just left being displayed on the TV. "Turn that up would ya!?"

The barman, a friend to all, nodded and thumbed the remote below on of the counters. The sound came up and a low hush filled that corner as people turned to it.

"_Police are reporting that it was a single man who broke into the sector 3 holding cells, killed the three guards before turning on several FBI agents who tried to stop him." _The reporter said from outside the police tap. "_One FBI agent joined those that died here tonight and another was wounded. The murderer was shot whilst running away and his body has been taken to an FBI control centre for processing."_

"That's the place they were holding Joshua." Max muttered.

"They must have been talking about Riley." Logan said and when neither got told off by Alec for the use of the name they turned to where he had been sitting only to find that he was gone. Max spun in her seat but couldn't see where he had gone and eventually they both turned back to the screen.

"_The identity of the killer is unknown but our hearts go out to the four men who died here tonight and to the Agent bravely lying in hospital with the wounds of protecting us."_

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

_862 glanced at 494 as he returned from his special lessons. For two days now the nineteen year old had been learning to play the piano for his first deep cover mission. It had been expected that it would take a week but 494 had proved them wrong by becoming almost perfect in just two days. 862 wasn't sure what the mission was but it seemed interesting. In a week he was scheduled for his first mission as well but his wasn't to be deep cover. It was only for a day._

_He was being taught the specifics of making a human believe he was dead and it had taken several days to learn the knack of almost killing himself and then bringing himself back to life. So far he had spent most of the time actually stopping his heart and having to be resuscitated. Not too much of a problem for a transgenic but not good enough to be used for this mission since he wouldn't have somebody around to bring him back._

_It wasn't only an hour ago that he had managed it the first time. To place himself in a deep coma that looked like death to all but the best equipment and then bring his body back online again minutes later. It had had an effect on him though. His eyes were red, his limbs shaking from the numerous fits it started._

"You're sure he's dead?" Riley heard a voice he didn't recognise.

"Of course I'm sure, we saw him fall!" Said a second person. "And he doesn't have a pulse, and he's not breathing."

"White said not to trust anything though!" The first said. Riley could just about make out the sound of an engine in the background. They were moving, he let himself fall back into the coma.

"They're transgenics, Patrick, not aliens!" The second snarled out though his voice was fading fast. "They don't come back from the dead and he's no longer bleeding either."

_862 woke with a tight black space. Heavy material pressed down on all sides of him and his air quickly became limited. He listened for a full minute as he laid still but couldn't hear or sense anything around him. He brought his left arm up and felt along the bone till he found the hard metal blade implanted just below his skin and the small tear in his skin. He pulled apart the skin and slide the knife from the wound._

_Tearing off the plastic layer that kept his DNA from the blade he cut his way out of the bag and took a welcome lungful of air as he scanned the room for onlookers. He jumped from the table top and headed for the office. The owner of the research centre brought fresh bodies for research into genetic manipulation. They had been sub-contractors to Manticore and were plotting with another sub-contractor to expose Manticore on moral grounds that 862 didn't really care about._

_He did know that 494's deep cover mission that had started two weeks ago was to take out the second person, the ring leader of the anti-Manticore movement. 862's mission was to retrieve any data in the companies mainframe of use to Manticore and then plant a charge in the mainframes data room. Finally he was to get out, the hardest part of the mission. The building was heavily patrolled, especially now that the owner was worried about Manticore and that was why he had had to play dead to get in._

_He turned back to the black bag he'd been delivered in, a new idea from Manticore. He took the knife and cut a large metre section from the front and folding it neatly he placed it carefully against his chest feeling rather annoyed that he was forced to do this mission in little more than a hospital shirt and trousers._

_He slipped out of the room and into the office opposite, luckily the main frame control room. He took out the technician sat at the desk though even if the guard had seen him, dressed as a corpse, he wouldn't have had a hard time. The blood still wouldn't have returned to his face and his appearance probably would have made the man faint._

_He and 494 had both been instructed in computer hacking for their missions, both of which needed them to find out what their targets knew before they went further. It hadn't yet been decided whether to actually target the two individuals and with any luck, 862 attack on the mainframe here would be enough to scare the two into silence. Though 862 had been ordered that he was to kill the target if he saw him so as not to waste the opportunity._

_862 spent nearly fifteen minutes hacking through the various safeguards, his training and speed making it almost impossible for anyone else to discover his actions. He reached into his arm, still bleeding ever so slightly and pulled out a foil packet. Tearing into it he pulled out a high density memory card and, after placing the packet into his robes pocket with the knifes packet, he downloaded everything about genetic manipulation and Manticore onto the card and removed it again._

_He didn't need to wipe the main frame since they were going to proceed in a far less subtle method with no record that he had copied anything from the system. He unlocked the side door using the technician he had previously knocked out, pulling his head up so that the eye scanner and fingerprint scanner could read the body. The room beyond was filled with laser beams in a lattice at ankle height and at chest height. An easy system to bypass. _

_He studied the system of lasers memorising the exact position of each and their angles. He took a running start and with a series of carefully timed flips he wove his way through and landed on top of the server that sat near the other end of the room. There were no windows and only the light from the lasers and from the door, still open, to see through. He had to stay low on top of the steel bow so as not to trigger the lasers above his head but that was no obstacle for his work._

_He carefully opened the top of the steel cabinet to get to the mainframe within rather amused that they had relied on one human technician and a laser field to protect this with no actual alarm on the box itself, though this place had impressive outer defences hence why he had played dead to gain entry._

_862 pulled the strip of black bag from his chest and laid it out on the inside of the mainframe. He sighed again before prying into his luckily very slowly bleeding arm and pulled the last of the items out. He unwrapped the foil cover before again tucking it away for safe keeping. He placed the miniature primer on the black casing and primed it._

_He closed the lid with a grin. As soon as he was out he'd be collected by another X-5 who would help him if he was followed by any guards and he, X5-589, had the detonator that they would trigger the explosion once he was out. As soon as it went the C4 woven into the strip of bag would turn the inside of the main frame into soup._

_He slipped onto the floor and carefully weaved his way back through the laser field and into the slightly safer control room. He wasn't bothered whether the tech would awaken since they never be able to work out what he had done before it detonated so walked passed the groaning technician and into the corridor. He jogged through the corridors following a carefully memorised layout of the structure until he reached the roof. From there he dropped off the side of the building onto the top of the bridge supports. A distance of three stories that he barely felt._

_The bridge, rather heavily defended had a series of arches with a steel girder across the top that he had to spend the next fifteen minutes to travel since it was watched by several security cameras so every time they swept passed he had to cling to the inside edge of the girder but still stay out of sight of the human patrol below him. Unfortunately the bridge was too low to have used to get to the building since they had purposely removed a section of the girder to prevent it, hence the elaborate ruse to gain entrance._

_As soon as he was on the other side he watched the ten security guards below him and the two security cameras that covered his escape and eventually dropped sideways off of the bridge and the three story drop to the ground behind the guard house. He loped off easily into the tree line and after having to hide three times from human patrols he vaulted the perimeter fence and landed on the ring road that surrounded the complex. He saw headlights around the corner and darted quickly into a trench on the far side where he knew his accomplice was waiting. He slid to the ground next to the a darkly clothes X-5 from his own class that he had trained beside for nearly ten years._

_He let himself breath for the first few minutes and 589 let him gather his reserves before he spoke, half to let 862 relax and half to wait for the patrol car to drive into the distance. 589 passed him a small bag of clothing and 862 slipped it on gladly changing his hospital smocks for black combat clothing and as he was smearing camouflage paint onto his face 589 spoke._

"_Did you get everything done?" He asked._

"_The charge is in place." 862 nodded as he pulled a bandage from the bag and began to wrap up his torn arm. "You can detonate it whenever you want."_

"_No pursuers then?" 589 asked though he didn't really seem to expect it._

"_Nobody saw me but the technician will wake up soon and sound the alarm." 862 told him. "Control wanted him alive so that the attack was documented."_

"_Do you want to press the button?" 589 asked. 862 smirked at him knowing that 589 had a thing for explosives and he gestured for his accomplice to push the button. 589 smirked back before pulling out the remote detonator and by squeezing the handle and then pushing the button on top it triggered. A deep rumbling roar sounded from the five story building before them and they watched for a few seconds as the power went and people began to run around frantically._

_It would be hours before they realised how he had gotten in and control hoped that they would realise just how dangerous their potential enemy was. "Let's go." 862 said before they turned to begin the ten kilometre run to their pick up point and the helicopter waiting there._

"Well done you two." White spoke and Riley had to concentrate to keep his body from awakening. "Dispose of the body. I don't need it for research, we already have an X-5 to dissect."

"What do you want us to do with it then?" The one Riley knew was Patrick asked rather dumbly.

"I don't care." White snapped. "Dump it in the river or something."

Riley knew he could wait in this limbo now, concentrating only on keeping his limbs from moving and keeping his breathing to a minimal as he slowly awoke his body. White believed he was dead and knowing what idiots these two agents were they wouldn't try to destroy his body but rather just dump it. His plan had gone off without a hitch.

He heard White's car drive off and although he couldn't feel or see it he knew he was being pulled towards the river. He took a deep breath just as they threw him and felt his body shocked back into life as it hit the freezing waters of the coastal water. He let his body sink even as his heart rate came up to combat the cold seeping quickly into his limbs. He waited there looking up through the water for five minutes, waiting for the men to be far away before his limbs came to life and he gently swam away towards the docks where his exit from the river wouldn't cause any comment from any agents left to survey the area.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

_862 crouched low to the ground just behind a low ridge with 494 beside him as they laid in wait. Their objective was to ambush a group as they moved through the forest. A group transporting a prisoner of war, another X-5. According to the skirmish briefing they would face five X-7's and two X-6's._

_The procession turned the corner and 862 flinched violently. 494, who hadn't seen who the X-5 was yet looked at him in concern. 862 rarely gave himself away and his slightly movement had alerted the X-6's to their presence. 862 gathered his thoughts and waved his hand backwards slightly and he and 494 pulled back silently and circled around even as the X-6's stopped the group and ordered the X-7's to spread out defensively._

_494 crouched again only two metres from 862's side as they settled in to wait for the X-6's to relax their stance and get ready to continue. It would take at least ten minutes if not longer but the X-7's would never let down their guard though they were only foot soldiers, their lack of individuality prevented them from doing anything but taking orders. 494 glanced at him with a concerned look as he saw what had made 862 flinch._

_862 knew that it was well known what had happened between himself and his old class, the remains of which were now split between the other two classes. There, tied tightly to the cart, was 453, or Sam as she called herself. The twin of 452, 862's bane._

_Whoever had picked the people for this mission had done it so that he'd fail. He'd gone up against 453 once and his memories and emotions had spun completely out of control and cost him the fight._

_862 spent the ten minutes pushing down his emotions, locking them away with brutal efficiency till he turned back to 494 with a completely emotionless face and burning eyes that made 494 gulp silently before nodding. 862 held up his hand just as the X-6's moved together to discuss things whilst never taking their eyes from the bushes around them._

_862's hands moved to tell 494 the plan. 494 would help him take out the first four X-7's before distracting the last two long enough for 862 to take out the X-6's. After that they'd take out the last X-7's and complete the mission._

_The mission relied on the fact that the first two X-7's, only a metre or two away, would go down quickly and they did exactly that. They fell silently as both 862 and 494 leapt onto a tree nearby and then pushed off and came down on them heavily. They tried to block the attack but 862 and 494 were both fourteen and the X-7's were almost half their size and they couldn't block their weight and power with so little warning._

_The other X-7's were alerted as soon as their brethren were sent into unconsciousness and leapt into action. 862 and 494 stayed side by side and alternately defended and attacked and eventually 862 managed to throw one of them into another and sent them both hard into one of the trees. 494 glanced at him just as the X-6's leapt into the fray and 862 leapt upwards and somersaulted over their heads forcing them to turn away from 494 to face him._

_Thus their enemies were split. 862 knew that 494 could hold out against two X-7's, even take them out if given the time. 862 dodged a few punches by twisting his upper body and ducked to the ground to dodge one of them as she flipped over his head. He kicked her in the knee as she landed but she twisted to the side to absorb the blow. 862 danced to the side and helped the boy lose his balance as he tried a low kick._

_862 span around the boy so that, once again, both of his adversaries was on one side. He went on the offensive before they could gather themselves and knocked one backwards, 494 saw the boy stagger and helped out by slamming one of the X-7's into him, knocking them back into a tree. The girl glanced at her partner but turned back and started to fight with a vengeance. 862 had to admit that she was skilled but her small stature and underpowered blows were easily overcome by someone with 862's skills._

_He caught an opening just as 494 knocked out the last X-7, she glanced at 494 to check his position and 862 darted close and with no way to block an attack at such short range she was easily incapacitated. 494 nodded at him as he clapped his hands together with a self satisfied smirk. 862 turned to look at 453 only to see her standing up and facing 494 who hadn't noticed her yet._

"_Look out!" 862 shouted out but he felt himself freeze up. He had managed to control the emotions boiling inside but they welled up at seeing someone that looked and reminded him of 452 aiming a pistol at his only friend. 494 turned quickly but he was so surprised that the person they were supposed to be rescuing was now pointing a gun at him that he didn't move fast enough._

_The sharp retort of the pistol snapped 862 back into action and he leapt forward, knocking the gun out of her hand just before he snapped his hand around her throat. He lifted her from the ground and threw her backwards not even caring as her wrist cracked against a tree as she flew passed._

_He spun to find Alec against one of the trees clutching at his shoulder which was already covered in blood. 862 grabbed two flared from his pocket. He sent the green one up first to show that the mission was complete and then sent up a red one whilst the first was still glaring to show that they had an emergency. He distinctly heard engines coming to life down the road as he ran to 452's side and fell to his knees._

"_Why didn't you dodge?" 862 cried._

"_She surprised me." 494 croaked, wincing slightly as 862 checked the wound. "You froze up. She saw it."_

"_Damn, she's too much like her." 862 shook his head and 452 nodded. "Just tell them the truth or we'll both be in for it." He gripped his hand tightly into fists, he was in for it now. Whoever planned this mission knew that he'd be in emotional turmoil even with just 453 as the prisoner let alone when she turned on them and shot 494._

_He watched as the humvees tore through the dirt as they came to a halt. A human grabbed hold of 494 and hoisted him into the back of one of the vehicles and the X-7's piled into the back of another with the X-6's to return to be debriefed. He stared around as he was religiously ignored and spotted one of the worst of his trainers speaking to 453. He waved her away into the second to last vehicle and it drove off leaving just 862 and three humans who turned on him with malicious looks._

"_It seems you cant control yourself, X5-862." The trainer snarled. "Control wants this problem beaten out of you through any method."_

_Before 862 could react to defend himself the first two blows fell on his ribs and two of them pushed him to his knees and held him whilst his trainer beat into him without care for injury. Blood filled his eyes from a cut on his temple and forehead and when he was dropped he could only just make out the shape of the humvee disappearing into the distance._

"Riley!" Someone shouted in his ear. "Just wake up!"

Riley shot up and his arms lanced out and would have punched Alec if the other X-5 hadn't been ready for it. "For the love of the Lady, Alec!" He said shakily as he stared at his friend gasping in air as fast as he could. He glanced around at his rather derelict flat and the nights events came back to him. He'd ran through the city back to his own flat with a mind to collect his money and the remains of his C4 and the magazines he'd stolen for the pistol and had obviously collapsed from the blood loss from his shoulder, a side effect of starting his heart back up.

"What the hell happened?" Alec grouched, "I saw the news and I thought you were dead."

"I faked it." Riley groaned pushing his hand into his chest to ease the pain. Alec tore his shirt open to inspect the wound as Riley explained. "Hurt like hell to take the bullet though it went all the way through. They dumped my body into the river. Good thing is that White saw my body so he thinks I'm dead."

"So you came here and collapsed from blood loss?" Alec summed up to check as he probed the wound. It was already beginning to knot together, by morning it would be almost healed though it would be sore for at least a week. "Another nightmare?" Riley just nodded in response. "Which one?"

Alec, like Riley, dreamt of their worst missions and although that particular mission didn't trouble Alec, seeing Alec shot because of his own lack of control had tormented him ever since that day. "The botched mission when 453 tricked us and shot you." Alec shuddered slightly, they'd both been punished for that one though Lydecker had given them some slack since they had in a sense completed it even if they had been tricked.

"I remember that Lydecker stayed with you in the medical wing whilst you recovered." Alec said. "I still cant work out why."

"That man is strange." Riley sighed. "You been at Crash?"

Alec nodded, "They were discussing you when the news came on. I didn't expect to find you alive. I've been trying to wake you for almost ten minutes."

Riley winced, he'd been defenceless for ten minutes. He was glad that it had been Alec that had found him and not somebody else. He realised that he was still shaking and even as he looked up at Alec in shock he felt the first tremors go through his body as his limbs lost control. Riley, like the other X-5's, suffered through neural shocks that made them lose control of their limbs and Riley almost always triggered them shortly after playing dead. During the mission that he had used it he had collapsed half way to the pick up point and 589 had had to give him meds and carry him back to the helicopter. At least the directors hadn't been able to blame him though since it was their fault he was that way.

"Shit!" Alec growled as he began to lose control. "Do you have any of your meds?"

Riley nodded though the motion was lost as his whole body continued to shake. He felt Alec gather him up against him to try to control the movements in the way they had been trained to help each other to minimise any damage they could do to themselves. He pointed across the room to a loss board by the window. Alec glanced at it before deciding he wasn't letting Riley go.

Alec pulled his own bottle from his inside pocket and forced four of the small pills down his throat. Even though Tryptophan was what they needed it wouldn't do much more than take the edge off. "Come on," Alec grouched. "We're going to Logan's. I don't have anything to treat your wound here and its opening up again."

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector Nine; Logan's Penthouse**

Riley couldn't really argue the choice of destinations since he was getting weaker by the second. He hated these fits like all X-5's hated them, and this time, with his shot wound, it was becoming rather dangerous. So much so that Logan's front door made his escort growl in frustration and simply kick it in. Alec had his entire weight against his side to keep him from collapsing as they walked inside.

"Max!" Alec called out. "Logan! Where are you guys?"

"Did you really have to break in my door, Alec?" Logan asked as he came around the corner but he came up short as he saw Riley shaking violently, with rather a lot of blood over him.

"Don't you ever get the idea to get lost, Alec, or do you just like annoying me?" 452 grumbled as she too walked around the corner. "Riley?" She asked in shock.

Riley managed a growl but the vibration cause pain to go through his chest. The shaking was literarily tearing apart any healing that his body had attempted whilst he slept. "Don't call him that, Max, especially not now." Alec pointed out. "We need your help, Logan."

"Is this one of your seizures?" Logan asked as he followed Riley and Alec from the hallway and into the front room with its large windows and sofa.

"Don't you have your own Tryptophan, Alec?" Max sighed as she stayed by the door out of Riley's sight though her voice triggered another wave of violent shaking.

"Perhaps you should keep your mouth shut from now on, Max." Alec suggested with a slight bit of humour. "I've already given him some of mine, I came here because he'll bleed to death before the fit stops unless I get some help."

"Do you need me to get a doctor?"

Alec glanced at Riley but nodded to Logan all the same. "One that knows about us though."

Logan nodded. "I'll see if I can get a hold of Doctor Carr."

"Max, get me some bandages or something to slow the bleeding." Alec told her as Logan left the room. He gripped Riley's hand as his body convulsed and he turned his head to glare after Max. He gently stroked the back of Riley's hand as they waited in silence for Logan or Max to return. Riley was conscious though he had trouble keeping his attention on Alec.

Most of his focus went on controlling his shaking and lowering his heart rate to slow the bleeding but he still noticed when Logan came back into the room. "Max's gone." He said in a placating tone before he continued. He brought a roll of bandages over and started to help Alec clear Riley's chest of blood and the remains of his shirt. "Doctor Carr is on his way, he should only be five minutes. If he asks, Riley was shot whilst helping Eyes-Only."

"Will that be soon enough, Riley?" Riley nodded jerkily before letting his eyes shut and a shudder to run through his whole body before focusing on his heart rate again slowing it to only twenty or so beats a minute.

"His heart rate is slowing." Logan sounded panicked. Riley squeezed Alec's hand to show that it was purposely done.

"He was trained to lower his heart rate for missions. To trick people, even coroners, into thinking he's dead." Alec explained. "He's trying to slow the bleeding."

Unfortunately the method didn't help to slow the shaking of his body. "Lift him up." Logan asked and Riley felt his side rise and Logan doing something beneath his shoulder before he was lowered down. The door opened several minutes later and Alec moved aside to let a new presence in. He felt somebody playing around with the wound but let his body slowly fall into a light coma again ignoring everyone around him as the lack of blood finally took effect.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	7. Zack

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 7; Zack

**Logan's apartment**

Regardless of his weakened state Riley still awoke instantly and almost leapt out of bed when he realised that something was constricting his upper left shoulder and that he was in an unfamiliar bed. He glanced around the room and even though he'd never been in this particular room before he recognised the translucent walls of Logan's Penthouse.

He slipped his feet onto the carpet and stretched his arms to check the injury. As far as he could tell without looking under the bandage it was already knitting together beneath the skin though the bandage was still looking rather bloody and his movement wasn't back to normal in his left arm yet. He located his jeans easily and slipped them on before slipping on his sneakers.

It was then that he remembered that Alec and that Doctor of Logan's had cut the remains of his nice black t-shirt into shreds. He searched the room but didn't find anything to cover his torso. With a small shake of his head he settled with the bandages that wound around his chest and around his left shoulder.

He walked out of the room and headed towards the quiet sound of somebody typing on a keyboard, obviously Logan. He walked into the study, or what was really just a section of the living room that was half blocked off, and found the man in his wheelchair in front of the computer. Riley walked up behind him and took a look at what he was doing.

"Are you trying to hack into the All-sectors Police mainframe?" Riley asked making the man jump slightly and twist in his seat.

"You're not supposed to be up. Doctor Carr said that you should be resting for at least three days and it's only been one night and half a day." Logan complained.

"Well, Doctor Carr isn't an expert on transgenics is he?" Riley countered. He raised an eyebrow towards the screen again silently repeated his first question.

"Yes I am, one of my informants was arrested yesterday whilst trying to get information for me." Logan sighed. "He was released this morning but he isn't much use to me with such a file."

"And you're trying to get into the mainframe to delete it?" Riley asked.

"Trying being the main word." Logan sighed. "They've upgraded their protections, I managed to get an uplink to one of the minor systems but the code is something I haven't seen before."

"What's the mainframe system?" Riley asked.

"A Zeplin 2-57 Alpha with a ZX encryption system." Logan sighed.

"You got a chair around here somewhere?" Riley asked though he was already moving for one. "Shift out of the way and I'll get you in."

"How do you know how to get through it?" Logan asked though he wheeled himself backwards.

"One of my missions involved hacking into DaedaGene's mainframe." Riley shrugged. "They weren't sure what system would be in affect so Manticore taught me how all of them work. Once you know how they work they're easy to break through."

Riley began typing in sub-routines into the computer whilst remembering everything he'd been taught about the Zeplin 2-57. "So you can hack any computer? What about new ones?"

"I was taught by Manticore standards, compared to that place the Pentagon's systems look primitive." Riley chuckled as he got entrance into the command screen. "It's just a matter of memorising everything in them. Having transgenic abilities helps though."

"What are you doing?" Logan asked.

"This system has a slight flaw that if you're good enough you can exploit which stops the possibility of a back trace." Riley explained as he set the mainframe into diagnosis mode. "While it's concentrating on itself it opens a small window though it's always in a different place which is why it was ignored. It's impossible to find before it closes."

Information on directories began to rapidly scroll down the screen and Riley's eyes flitted across the screen scanning every part of the code. He heard Logan gasp slightly but he tuned him out. The wanted opening scrolled onto the screen and only Riley's genetically advanced reactions allowed him to freeze the list in time to select the right directory. The screen flickered as Riley opened up the right directory and as soon as he was done he pushed back his chair.

"You've got about five minutes to do what you need then leave before the system even notes your presence." Riley told him. "Don't get caught."

"Are all these systems as easy to get into?" Logan asked as he pulled his wheelchair forwards.

"Only for humans." Riley said simply, losing any emotion. "This system has that trick though." He admitted after receiving an odd look from Logan.

"There's a new shirt on the back of the chair over there." Logan told him with a rather disagreeable tone of voice. "I think Alec stole it."

"So…?" Riley asked.

"You cant just go around stealing everything." Logan protested.

"Why not?" Riley shrugged, "Somebody like you would never understand our way of thinking."

Logan contained his anger as he finished deleting the files he needed to and by the time he had turned back to Riley the transgenic had the new, dark red, short sleeved t-shirt over his head. "What have I done that is so bad?" Logan asked. Riley raised his eyebrow in question. "What do you have against me?"

"You're a weakness." Riley shrugged. "The closer 452 gets to you the more exposed she is to being found."

"I thought you didn't care about Max?" Logan growled out.

"I don't, but it shows a remarkable lack of tactical thought on her part." Riley told him. "But if she's caught then Alec and I could be compromised."

"Then why are you still here?" Logan countered.

"Because for some reason Alec feels indebted to 452 and I wont let him be hurt when she screws up and leaves him behind." Riley pointed out.

"She wouldn't do that!" Logan complained.

"Of course she would, she's done it before." Riley spat in an unexpected bout of emotion.

Logan shook his head in defeat, obviously deciding that it was pointless to argue further. "At least we know that you'd go in to rescue her if she was ever caught." Logan pointed out with a small smirk.

Riley just laughed. "You think too highly of me, Logan." He half turned and made to leave. "I'd much sooner just kill her to prevent her revealing our presence. I'm dead as far as White is concerned and I wont give up that anonymity easily."

Logan was left speechless as Riley left the room. If anyone else had said something like that he wouldn't have believed them but coming from Riley it struck home. He couldn't help but think that he was becoming Max's weakness. Either way he had work to do, one of his informants had identified something that would interest 'Eyes-Only'.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Alec's flat; Two weeks later**

Riley sat on the small window sill just outside of the window staring out across the city. He had to hand it to his comrade, he had decent taste. He'd chosen an abandoned flat higher than most of the surrounding buildings even if it was still only a fifth floor place. The view encompassed most of this sector 4 and onwards to sector 9 and the centre of the city.

He had spent most of the day on that ledge trying to decide what he was going to do with himself now that he didn't have White as a mission any longer. He wasn't daft enough to consider ignoring that particular problem to the transgenics but he didn't care enough about them all to go into it straight away. Alec was safe and that's all he was truly worried about.

The door behind him banged open but since he didn't feel any presence he ignored it since it would almost definitely be Alec, back from cycling around the city delivering packages and, though he wouldn't admit it to 452, doing recon on potential thefts.

"Hey Riley." Riley tipped himself back into the room and rolled to his feet with infinite grace at the slightly scratchy sound to his friends voice. His eyes narrowed with concern and his features took on a suspicious look.

"What did you do?"

"All I said was hey!" Alec complained. "It's nothing."

Even though Riley would normally let it slide he knew Alec well enough that he was hiding something and that something had to do with him. "Not so fast, Alec. Why is your neck bruised and why are you bothering to try to hide it from me."

Alec sighed in defeat before flopping onto his back on the sofa. Riley moved to lean against the kitchen counter and waited for Alec to speak. "Logan got one of his obsessive moments and Max went running out to do what he wanted, 'cept this time she decided I was going to be bait."

"She what!?" Riley interrupted. "I've had it with her!"

"Easy Riley." Alec muttered before continuing. "We gave the steelheads a pounding but then this guy with a techno arm appeared and…well…"

Alec trailed off as he gestured to his slightly bruised throat, the yellow tinge was already fading and by morning Alec would be back to his perfect, bouncy self. "What happened?"

"Max talked him down." Alec muttered getting quieter as he spoke. "She called him Zack."

Riley felt the air escape him, it was still in his lungs but it didn't seem to feed his body anymore. By the time he managed to get himself to breathe again Alec was in front of him. "Was it him?" Riley croaked out.

"I think so." Alec said, neither he nor Riley had seen Zack since they were all nine but the reaction was unmistakable, that and Alec had seen his barcode clearly whilst hanging two feet from the floor by his neck. "Riley, what are you going to do?"

Riley collapsed onto the bed guided carefully by his friend who held him loosely as he thought, shivering slightly all the while. "I don't know, Alec. I thought I wanted to kill them and I think I would've if we were ordered to, but now I don't know."

"I know, Riley." Alec sighed resting his forehead against Riley's temple soothingly. "It's not the same now, we need to survive and killing them isn't the best way to do that."

"I need to go back." Riley said after almost three minutes of silence.

"Go back?" Alec asked as his head fell back upright. "Go back where?"

"Manticore." Riley said simply.

"What!?" Alec gasped. "Why? There's nothing there anymore, they destroyed it."

"I hid something in the basement a long time ago." Riley muttered almost too quiet for Alec to here. "I need it."

"You want me to come too?" Alec asked knowing that regardless of what Riley said, he'd still go.

Riley nodded gratefully. "Can you get us a car?"

"Of course. You wait here." Alec told him before leaving quickly. It would take them several hours to get out of the city and then another four hours to drive to Manticore.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Several hours later**

"Tell me again why we're out here in the cold?" Alec mumbled.

Riley rolled his eyes before stopping and rounding on his friend. "It's March, Alec, you're not human and therefore you can cut the crap about feeling cold. And as for 'tell me again', I didn't tell you a first time." He turned back along the path through the trees and began walking again.

"I was only asking." He heard Alec mutter behind him before realising he was being left behind. "Hey! Wait for me!"

They emerged from the tree line and onto the top of a small slope that fell away into a clearing below them. Around the clearing was several half burned down buildings though the majority of what had once been an elaborate facility was burnt to ground level. Riley paused to look down at the ruins, he'd never doubted the reports of it's destruction, especially after hearing it from Alec, but it was a completely different thing to actually see the devastation.

The only world he truly knew and understood was gone. One of only three constants in his life since it had been overturned in 2009 when his family had deserted him, had been destroyed, once again by the very people that had left him all those years ago. He turned to the second of those constants and offered a small smile, one of very few over the years.

The third was his abilities. Even if they had individualised him to the trainers that had held a grudge against him and caused people to expect more from him. He was a freak amongst engineered freaks but he knew one thing, whatever his abilities stemmed from, he'd been born with it. They'd tried for years to clone him but only ever got a normal X-5 without the immunity of the others and none of his own abilities.

Whatever they were, Manticore's scientists couldn't replicate it. They had had some limited results with a few by tampering with it. Several of those engineered for psy-ops had been given versions of his abilities though completely different to his own and ones that they could control.

Riley had no active control over his abilities, he could chose to pay attention to his senses or block them out but they were always running. They always protected him from those in psy-ops designed from him and they always protected him if he couldn't do it himself though that situation hadn't come up in a long time. They also gave him some of the stranger traits that the scientist's at Manticore hadn't understood were possible and hadn't found any genetic reason behind. Like his ability to understand snatches of the X-7's conversations as images and even some of the more animalistic X-3's.

"Are we going to actually do something today or are we just going to stay here and…?" Alec started but Riley just pulled himself out of his musings and walked off.

"We are not going to 'freeze' Alec." Riley muttered referring to the unspoken end to the question. "I'm looking for something."

"Looking for what, there's nothing here but ashes?" Alec asked with a worried glance sideways at him.

"Hopefully it's still there." Riley muttered as he reached a pile of rubble, he gestured Alec to grab hold and together they launched the heavy pile vertical before kicking it soundly to splinter it and send the shards away from them.

"Are you going to tell me what we are looking for?" Alec asked.

"I'm not looking for it, I know where I hid it." Riley pointed out. "And its something I plan to use to make 452 and 599 rethink what they did."

"Why do I not like the sound of this?" Alec asked as they both dropped down into a half covered trench that had once been the basement just under their own room. Riley began pacing down a rather charred breeze block wall before suddenly stopping and tapping a block at about knee height. He knelt and pried it out of the wall as Alec stooped down beside him. He let the block fall to the floor where it looked like it was at risk of falling to pieces and grabbed hold of something far into the back of the recess in a small dug out tunnel.

He pulled out a blue rag with a relieved smile before turning to Alec. "When we were younger we believed that the Blue Lady would protect us." Riley told him as they settled more onto the ground, the blue rag clutched firmly in Riley's hand.

"You always mention a 'Lady.'" Alec pointed out referring to Riley's rare bouts of swearing, "I was always curious but I never asked."

Riley sent him a grateful smile before explaining. "Back when we were seven a Janitor gave Seth a small card with the Lady's picture on it when he was having a seizure. It was probably a coincidence that the seizure stopped almost immediately but we were young then."

"Seth?" Riley wasn't sure whether the question was because of Riley's unusual use of a chosen name or whether he was actually wondering who he was. Riley chose the second since he couldn't really answer the first one.

"465." Riley shrugged. "Your twin, Ben, called her the Blue Lady because of her blue dress and we came to think of her as protection. The picture showed her heart so we thought that she would stop us becoming an anomaly. We prayed to her and made up lots of stories about the 'Good Place' where we'd all live happily with her and never have to take orders or fight anyone."

Riley paused to collect his thoughts and was glad that Alec didn't speak or interrupt him. He toyed with the scrap of cloth for a few moments before continuing. "Whenever something went wrong we'd sneak up onto the roof to ask her help and we gave an offering which truly made us a family." He continued before Alec could ask him what the offering had been. "Ben was caught up there once but never regretted it. He believed in her more than the rest of us. It's probably one of the reasons he went crazy."

"How do you know that's the reason?" Alec asked.

Riley sighed once before shutting his eyes. When he looked back up at Alec he spoke. "I looked up the case file when I got into Seattle. Ben was tearing the teeth out of his victims. It's the same as we did, we each gave a tooth to her to ask her for her help." The rag fell open and Alec gasped as he eyed the twenty-one teeth within the blood stained rag. "It's the only thing that binds us all together. Ben, 599, 452, Seth, Zane, all of the others and me. All of our teeth are here and everything we believed together."

Alec was still staring at the rag in shock and missed the movement when Riley pulled a pure gold chain from around his neck. On the end was a beautifully sculpted medallion with a figure cut from a sapphire held in the centre. Below the Virgin Mary were the words 'Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.' He placed it within the rag and dropped the chain next to it.

"Where did you get that?" Alec asked in shock referring to the ten thousand dollar item.

"I stole it." Riley smiled sadly. "She'd forgive me."

"Who'd forgive you?" Alec asked. Riley nodded down at the medallion before wrapping it up in the rag along with the teeth and stowing it in his dark blue jacket's inside pocket. "You still believe in her then?"

"I don't know." Riley sighed. "Ben died in that belief, they escaped because of the future she promised us. I have to believe they had a better reason then chance to desert me that night."

"Do you forgive the others then?" Alec asked a good ten minutes later. "I mean, you used Ben, Zane and Seth's names happily enough."

"I forgave Ben long ago, I had to since I was paired with you. Otherwise it was too painful for me." Alec looked worried for a second but Riley nudged his shoulder warmly to cheer him up. "I've forgiven Zane and Seth now as well since I've seen them but I'd like to see the others before I'm sure."

"What about Max and Zack?" Alec asked.

Riley paused slightly and half turned to Alec. "Do you think I should?"

"If it had been me I'd be really pissed at them true. And they did desert us as well after all." Alec paused to think for a while and they walked in silence back through the trees. "But I'd forgive them, especially after what you just told me. They were only doing what they thought was right. They strongly believed in this "Good Place," and they went for it. They were only using their training and the opportunity that presented itself when the guards went AWOL with you."

Riley walked on in silence and eventually Alec decided to add more to his case. "I wouldn't blame you if you always held a grudge against them but I know for a fact that no matter how Max can be a right bitch sometimes, she hurts when it comes to you and anyone else left in Manticore. Any time you're brought up she winces and I know she truly regrets leaving you behind."

"What do you think I should do then?" Riley asked as they reached the convertible ford that Alec had swiped the previous evening.

"Give her a chance and don't kill her." Alec laughed. "And thinking of them as Max and Zack wouldn't be a bad thing either."

"I wont kill her, I don't think I ever would have." Riley forced a small smile. Both of them knew full well that killing her would have been quite possible only a few months ago but they both knew that now was a different matter completely. "Don't expect me to call her Max to her face though. Not any time soon at least."

"Excellent." Alec chirped as he reached for the stereo. Riley stopped him.

"You know, I'm not sure I'm quite used to your sensitive and 'deep' side. It's rather worrying really." Riley did laugh this time.

Alec winced. "Just don't tell Max. I like the fact she thinks I'm a thoughtless lay-about who only cares for himself."

"Aren't you?" Riley laughed and dodged the swipe from his friend.

"Of course not, I care about you after all." Alec told him with a bit more seriousness in his tone. Riley came up short as he looked at the other transgenic. They were similar in this case, both weren't really bothered by the grand scheme of things but both would fight to the end to protect one another.

"Thanks, Alec." Riley muttered before switching on the stereo finally to interrupt the slightly awkward silence. Alec shot him a small smile to show that he understood what Riley was thinking.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The following afternoon**

Riley's day was a simple one. He spent a lot of the day breaking into a safe house up kept by one of the police forces top people, a rather corrupt man as well if the 'Streaming Freedom' videos were anything to go by. The actual room wasn't the time consuming part, the time was spent watching the four guards who were always in sight of each other and planning his entry route since taking one out would alert two or more of the others. Breaking into the room was easy since he had swiped the key from one of the guards in a rather risky yet well carried out move and he easily found himself within the room.

He closed the door behind him without a sound and looked around the room. It was filled with small trinkets, not many were worth more than a few thousand but the more expensive items were a bit out of his capability to carry out without being noticed. He filled his bag with a few of the smaller, more pricey, items before finding a filing cabinet filled with files and disks.

He smirked as he flicked through the paper files, they were mostly case files from cases that he had covered up but not wanted to destroy the records of. There were a few 'blackmail' files with the corresponding evidence, obviously he was using them to keep certain people under his control, a few of which looked like large corporations and others were just innocents that had found out things that he didn't want to be public knowledge.

One really did catch his eye though, it was a report on a search for Donald Lydecker. Evidently a team had tracked him to Europe and had the number for somebody there that he had phoned. A note was placed on it with the words, 'Not to be removed', and 'Only copy.' From the more in depth notes on the page it was clear that whoever had done the digging on Lydecker had been silenced and Patrick Kelly, who owned this safe room, bribed into keeping this evidence quiet. The question that nagged at Riley was who would go to such lengths to keep Lydecker hidden.

He wrestled with his conscience for a few moments over being a common cat-burglar or doing the right thing and eventually, with a sigh, took out half the items in his back and stashed all of the documents, blackmail evidence and cover up files, into his backpack. Logan better be grateful, this little bit of charity was going to cost him about ten thousand dollars.

As he left the building he thought that at least he had accomplished his main objective, to distract himself for the day so that he didn't do something stupid like confronting 599 and 452 in broad daylight.

He headed for Sector nine on his new, red, Ninja motorcycle since he had had to abandon his old one after he had been 'killed.' The trip was uneventful though he was forced to use his Federal Agent Identification to get him through the two check points but since they rarely even looked at the name on the pass he didn't really have to worry about it.

Logan Kale was in his wheelchair when he arrived at the Penthouse suite of one of the plusher apartment blocks and he seemed rather troubled by something, so much so in fact that he didn't notice Riley's presence even though he had purposely shut the front door normally to alert the man. He was sitting at his computer desk looking over a security video of what seemed to be a break-in in some store or another.

Riley decided to watch and find out what was so fascinating and was only partly shocked when 599 stood up in front of the camera with a metal plate making up the top left of his face. Riley placed his hand over his right chest pocket where the scrap of Manticore bed sheet enclosed twenty-one teeth and the Lady of the Sacred Heart Medallion and felt for it. Logan paused the picture just as 599 was tensing up for some sort of violent act, presumably the ultimate destruction of the camera.

"I can see the headlines now." Riley joked making Logan flinch violently and spin slightly in the seat to face him. "Transgenic soldier demoted to shop lifter."

Logan eyed him carefully, neither he nor 452 had seen him in several weeks, not since he'd been shot. He'd laid low, followed White's operation, searched random areas of town for solitary transgenics so he wouldn't have to risk himself to save them later on and done his own snooping with organisations like the S1W. "What do I owe this pleasure, Riley?"

Riley let the use of his name slide, so many people used it now it barely concerned him though the matter was different when it came to his brother and sister. "And there I was just paying a visit to Seattle's very own vigilante." Riley teased before unzipping his bag showing the trinkets first which got Logan's attention.

"Where did you steal those?" Logan turned a rather accusing eye on him.

"You there one that told everyone that Patrick Kelly was a bad dude." Riley smirked at him, "I doubt they've realised I was even in there yet."

"So you stole from Kelly?" Logan asked. "Why does this involved me?"

"You're in a rather more snappy mood then normal, Logan. It's not good for your health." Riley told him. "I found some items in his safe that have more than monetary value and, after wrestling with my conscience, I decided that you'd be the best person to hang onto them."

Riley pulled out all of the files and disks apart from the one on Lydecker and dropped them squarely onto Logan's lap. "That's the evidence he used to blackmail several people and the files for the cover-ups he instigated." Riley told him. "You can call this my formal apology for capturing you and getting you interrogated."

"I thought you didn't like me." Logan told him.

"Like I said before. You're a weak link that will only come back to bite 452 in the arse but I don't really care about that now." Riley told him. "Say, why are you in such an unwelcoming mood."

Logan sighed wearily. "I've been trying to bring down a gang of 'Steelheads' that have been exporting human transplant organs and Zack should have been the link I needed but he refuses to help."

"Ah, sounds just like 599. Bugs out when the going gets tough, he and 452 should hit it right off. I suppose that they're out somewhere together then?" Riley asked raising a suggestive eyebrow. Really he couldn't care but this was the easiest way to get their whereabouts without actually asking.

"They're not like that." Logan protested.

"According to Alec, those are the exact words that you and 452 use." Riley chuckled slightly.

Logan ignored him as he began flicking through the files on his lap. "I think they went to meet Alec, Original Cindy and Sketchy at Crash."

"Original Cindy?" Riley asked confused. "Sketchy?"

"Two of Max's friends from Jam Pony's," Logan informed him.

"Two more humans to weigh her down then?" Riley asked though he wasn't expecting an answer. Original Cindy must be the Lesbian that Alec mentioned who knew about both him and Max. "You going to be able to get something from them?"

"I think so. There's enough here to incriminate him ten times over plus I might be able to get a good position as Eyes-Only with some of this people that he was blackmailing." Logan told him. "I normally have to credit somebody for getting information if I want it to be really believable but I don't suppose you want to be famous do you?"

"Not a chance." Riley chuckled. "Why don't you ask your S1W pals to take the credit? They seem to need to good publicity right now. I think half the general public want them dead."

Logan nodded and looked down at the files again having completely forgotten about his previous problem with the Steelheads. Riley left before he looked up again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Crash**

Riley walked in to the packed room and paused at the top of the stair case to look down into the basement club for a while, taking in the people milling about carefully. He'd been here a few times over the months since he had been in the real world. It was a good place to unwind though he had never been here with Alec yet. He slowly walked down the steps having to move to the side to let somebody walk up and out.

He slipped through the crowds to the bar and brought a half pint of beer from the barman before asking if he'd seen Alec around lately.

"He's out in the back room with the Jam Pony guys." He was told hastily before the man went off briskly to serve somebody else. He wandered across the room casually and took up a position near to the archway that led to the backroom and the pool table. He could just about make out Alec sitting at a small round table just the other side of the door with 452 and another girl who could only be Original Cindy. He could see 599 or the expected Sketchy but he could hear people playing pool and it was obvious that the three at the table were watching the pool game.

"Now that he's got his total recall thing on, what's next?" Original Cindy asked. "Hook him back up at Jam Pony, help get him his own place?"

"Living the dream." Alec muttered though he didn't look at all happy, probably because of Riley's revelation on just how close he had been to his brothers and sisters. The words were sarcastic and they made both girls turn to look at him with questioning looks. He shrugged them off and 452 continued the conversation.

"I haven't really thought about it, I'm just glad he's back." She said with a happy smile. Riley grudgingly admitted that she had a right to be happy. He'd felt partly devastated when he had been told that 599 was dead and was kind of relieved that he was alive and happy but he still wanted his revenge.

"Things are looking up now." Original Cindy told them seriously. "It's about time."

Riley took a long draught from his glass before turning slightly to see Sketchy and 599 walk up to the table. Alec saw him in an instant, so used to each other's movements as they were. Even if they were hiding within a crowd of thousands so that not even the best trained human could make them out, they could always find each other in an instant. Riley shook his head slightly and Alec looked back at the others as if nothing had happened.

They didn't miss much of the conversation in their small exchange, only that 599 had beaten Sketchy rather dramatically. Sketchy, who Riley had never met before, was a rather lanky guy with a slightly skinnier frame to Alec and himself and mused up hair like Riley's own shorter cropped hair which tended to stick up in random directions if not controlled.

"Wasn't a fair fight," Sketchy announced, "What with that Cyber-hand of his. Thinking I should get one."

"Maybe you should try to get you a Cyber-head." Original Cindy joked. She was much more sophisticated than Sketchy and seemed to hold herself with much more pride. Riley's senses didn't warn him about either though Original Cindy seemed to be a bit more wary around 599, probably because she didn't quite trust him because of his history. She didn't seem bothered by Alec though but he was a very easy person to like.

"What I could really use is another beer." Sketchy told them not acting in the least bit wounded.

452 stood and half turned forcing Riley to duck back out of sight quickly. "I think it's my time to buy." She walked off towards the bar and Alec jumped up announcing that he'd help.

He paused beside Riley as he left the back room. "What are you doing here?" He whispered though it looked like he was just staring across the room. Both knew that Original Cindy was watching Alec.

"Recon." Riley smirked.

"Oh dear." Alec chuckled before he hurried to catch up to 452. Riley turned slightly and noticed Original Cindy watching him carefully and rather suspiciously. He let a small patronising grin spread across his face and turned away from her as he leant against the wall watching as Alec chatted to 452 at the bar. He didn't bother trying to listen and he caught Alec's eye as he walked back passed him and into the back room.

He turned his attention back on 452 knowing that when she turned back from the bar she's undoubtedly catch sight of him. He didn't know whether he wanted that confrontation yet but found himself eager for it. He needed to get it off of his chest and with so many people around she and 599 couldn't team up against him. He didn't want Alec to have to side with him though and ruin the life he was forming for himself here.

He frowned as two Steelheads came up next to her. Two of the lackeys that he had seen in Logan's security camera footage. He saw 452 weaken slightly, a slight loosening of her muscles only noticeable because all transgenics kept their bodies at a high state of readiness regardless of how long they had been living in the 'real world'.

He watched as they led her out of the club and toyed with the idea of rescuing her but figured they were taking her as a hostage and if 599 wanted to play the hero he'd let them. He waited till the left before turning and walking into the back room with a swagger that seemed to amuse Alec immensely. He grabbed a seat from the next table along and spun it so he could sit on it backwards between Alec and Sketchy.

He crossed his arms over the backrest and rested his chin on them. He sent a smirk at Alec and another patronising grin at Original Cindy. "Didn't you arrive with Max?" He asked cheerfully.

"Well, Zack here did." Sketchy told him with a confused look, still not knowing who he was.

"Well she obviously made other friends that she preferred." Riley told them.

"What are you talking about?" 599 asked with a small suspicious glare though he was better at hiding it than Original Cindy.

"She just left with some Steelheads." Riley told him uncaringly and actually laughed at the speed that 599 was up and out of the room. "I think somebody is a little love sick. It's rather twisted if you ask me."

"Why is that twisted?" Sketchy asked.

"Well maybe not to you guys." Riley admitted.

"Huh?" Sketchy was obviously confused. Alec was almost beside himself because he knew that Riley was tempting fate talking like this. On the edge of actually exposing all four of them.

"Why don't you go get us another pitcher?" Alec asked Sketchy handing him a ten dollar bill. It would have been a tad suspicious except Sketchy was very trusting and also he was the one who could get up the easiest.

Sketchy eyed them all briefly before accepting the money and walking away to the bar. "What do you mean by twisted?" Original Cindy asked again.

"It's like watching your brother and sister kissing." Riley faked a shiver, it didn't really bother him in the slightest since he knew that 452 wasn't attracted to 599.

"You're a transgenic?" She asked lowering her voice.

"And there I have my proof." Riley's face closed down again to the normal uncaring one and Alec sighed slightly.

"Original Cindy, this is Riley." Alec introduced. "My cell mate at Manticore."

"And Max's brother." Original Cindy concluded, "The one that's been threatening to do her and Logan in since he escaped."

"I didn't escape, I was placed on assignment." Riley snapped.

She stared at him carefully as he downed the remainder of his drink. "What proof?" She asked suddenly as he placed the glass down.

Riley feigned a thoughtful look though he knew exactly what she was talking about. "We're trained to be the best." Riley told her as he stood and span the seat back the normal way. "Your knowledge of Alec is dangerous."

"So?" Original Cindy asked. Riley walked around the table and placed his hand on her shoulder. He squeezed it slightly. "You've kept the secret for a year now, don't mess up or I'll be the one to silence you."

With that he walked off sending another patronising grin at Sketchy as he walked out of the club.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Sector 9**

Riley headed for the high rise sector on his Ninja using his Federal pass once again to drive through the two check points and soon found himself in front of Logan's house planning to warn the man that 452 had been captured and try to find out where the Steelheads might have taken her, having the two alone was the perfect opportunity to confront them. He walked inside a told the porter that he was just visiting the Pent House but the man gave him an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, Sir." The aging man said. "The lift isn't responding, a girl just tried and then ran out in a fury. I'm afraid you'll have to take the main lift up to the floor below it and then use the access stairs."

"This girl," Riley raised an eyebrow questioningly, "She come here a lot?"

"She's here every few days to visit Mr. Kale." The porter said.

"Thank you very much." Riley said before turning to the door. He paused at the porter's confused look. "I think I'll take a leaf out of her book."

He headed for the street and was about to get on his Ninja when he heard what sounded like an entire magazine empty from a gun nearby. It was muffled as if coming from far away but Riley's genetically enhanced hearing knew that it was coming from the basement parking area. The sound of a motorcycle revving only served to confirm his conclusion.

He jogged around the corner, glad that nobody had been around to notice the shots, and down the ramp into the parking garage. The sight that met his eyes almost had him laughing hysterically, something that he wasn't even sure he could do. 599 stood in the middle of the road with a machine gun in his hands as he aimed at a floor stricken Logan. 452 was behind 599 though she seemed almost out for the count.

Riley spied a wheel hob leaning against the edge of the ramp and as he reached the bottom he scooped it up and lobbed it with every ounce of his transgenic strength. He didn't want Logan to die after all, he was a useful source of information even if he thought that 452 should stay at arms length from him. The plastic disk hit right where it was supposed to, sending the machine gun flying out of 599's grip and across the floor until it vanished under a car.

"Mission failed X5-599!" Riley snapped, his voice echoing into every corner of the garage.

"Who are you?" 599 asked as he turned and resumed a fighting stance.

"Oh?" Riley chuckled sarcastically, "You don't remember me? Well I shouldn't be surprised, I've come to expect it of you and 452 here."

By this time Riley had started to close the gap between him and his opponent. "I don't remember you?"

"Well maybe you shouldn't have shot yourself in the head then?" Riley snapped. "Though suicide is all we can really accept from a the leader of a group of cowards isn't it?" He knew he was being harsh now but he didn't want to leave any doubt that he was a transgenic. "You know, you'd think that with all these renewed memories you would remember me."

"Well I don't." 599 snapped, he was obviously not in the mood to try to put the dots together after being called a coward.

"How about I jog your memory then." Riley's face lost all emotion, the sudden change from the sarcastic look that had previously adorned it surprised everyone and put 599 on alert. "We spent nine years suffering together." His voice was quiet, lacking anything that made it remotely human. "Hunting through woods, being beaten for mistakes!"

By now he was so close to 599 that any attack would be hard to dodge. "They liked you though, you were their champion fighter. I was just another transgenic that they could push to the breaking point to see when we'd snap." Riley lashed out. He hadn't planned to actually try to hurt either of them but as the memory of their betrayal washed through his mind he lost control. His fists darted out, the first was a feint but the second landed squarely on 599's collar bone seriously bruising it.

599 stumbled backwards but his own counter strike was blocked expertly though with a lot of effort because of his advanced strength. "I don't remember you from Manticore!" 599 argued.

"I figured you wouldn't give any of us a second thought!" Riley's voice took on more emotion this time, his voice layered with pain. "I thought I'd bring us something so that we could reminisce together." Riley half spun so that he could access his inside pocket without leaving his side open to attack and drew out the rag.

Riley held his hand up as he took a step back away from 599 and watched as 452 moved to see better. The rag fell away over the sides of his hand to reveal the teeth inside. "We all risked standing up there and pulling out a tooth. We swore we'd protect each other and that she'd protect us!"

"Oh my god!" 452 gasped as she staggered forwards to him looking with horror at their joint history laying on his palm. "How?"

"I buried them after you escaped." Riley told them, "Well after they let me out again."

"I don't…" 599 stuttered. "I don't understand. Who are you?"

Riley placed the rag carefully in 452's hand and stepped forwards into 599's personal space. "I'm the one you used to wake up from nightmares because I was singled out by the guards. The one that you used as a diversion so that you two could be happy out here. The one you left in there to be tortured and blamed while you lived happy lives out here!" His voice grew quieter with each word until it was only a brush of air that promised pain. "They blamed me for helping you escape, they said that I staged the whole thing to get the guards out of the way. We were all brothers and sisters in there but you two were the closest."

He snapped his body up and spun to face 452. He stepped forward and gripped the golden chain from the rag and pulled the medallion clear. "All I had to remember you by was the pain that they inflicted on me in your name and the faith I had in the Lady." He pulled the chain around his neck once more and tucked it away.

The silence stretched to an almost unbearable length until Riley noticed that 599 was trembling ever so slightly. 452 had tears in her eyes and her face was void of any blood. Riley stared into her eyes and saw the pain there. He sighed. "You had better look after those Max."

Her eyes came alive in an instant as she heard her name uttered from his lips. She seemed to sag slightly and she clenched her hand around the rag and the teeth trapped inside. "Oh god, you'll never know how sorry I am." She told him.

"About as sorry as I was when you left." Riley suggested. He shut his eyes and turned to face 599.

"Riley?" He choked. Riley nodded carefully. 599 tried to say something else but every time he tried his voice cut out until finally he sagged to his knees and leant against the wall with his head in his hands.

Riley crouched down in front of him and pried the hands away. He forced the transgenic to look up at him. "I cant ever forget what you two did to me but times are changing and as much as I want to forever hate you I cant." He raised his voice so that Max could hear him better though he doubted she had missed his first words. "I came out of there wanting to hurt you for what you did but I cant now. I might not hate you but I don't think I'll ever trust you like I used to."

"I…" Zack started. "Oh, Riley. We shouldn't have…" It seemed that with everything over the last few days he really couldn't handle more.

"Zack, we can deal with it later." Riley said, he was emotionally tired as well and wanted nothing more then to find Alec and unload. "I want you to take me to see the others if you know where they are. I cant not see them now that I have the chance."

Zack nodded but didn't try to speak. Max took the lead. "You're not going to try to kill Logan again are you?"

Zack's head dropped again and Riley let his hands go so that he could cradle it again. "I think whatever was planted in his mind is gone after having to face his own act of betrayal." Riley assured her.

Max started to help Logan stand but the last thing she said shocked Riley more than he could imagine. "Nobody's told you that you're an uncle yet have they?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	8. Above and Below

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 8; Above and Below

Riley had been miserable for days after the reunion between himself and Zack two weeks ago. He had spent most of the time tracking transgenics around the city, taking mental notes of where they hung out and whether they were safe or not. By the time he was done he knew every way to get passed the sector guards without needed a pass and was probably the city's foremost expert on the whereabouts of the transgenics.

Zack however had annoyed Riley once again. He'd vanished from the city the morning after their fight and after 452 had declared him an uncle and hadn't left word since. Riley had been furious at the time but now he just knew that he'd deck the guy the next time he saw him.

Alec had been getting on with his own life, working for Jam Pony and doing a few things on the side to make extra cash. He still had no qualms with stealing to make money and Riley would always go with him. Between the two of them there was nowhere that they couldn't get in to.

Riley had also spent most of his week tracking the current location of White and his men since he knew that they were the only real threat to the transgenics and that if something was going to happen to them all it would be at White's hand. It was easier then he expected to track them, even if they moved base when Riley wasn't around since they were NSA after all and Riley, as well as most of the X-5's, had been trained in the same methods of diversion as most organisations of the Government.

Riley got into the lift that would take him up to the Penthouse suite of Logan's building. He'd never admit to working with the man and Logan wouldn't risk his neck by trying to claim the same but Riley had slipped the man information several times and Logan had given him targets to go after. Men that were collecting wealth illegally and therefore couldn't declare that wealth stolen when it started to vanish. It was a mutual agreement but still Riley's views of the man being far out of his depth in this fight were still very much there.

He slipped the key out of his back pocket, a copy of Logan's own key that the man didn't know of, and was about to open the door wide when there was a crash from within the flat and then a low groan. Riley paused with a slight twinge of confusion but slipped into the flat silently. He shut the door without a sound and walked through the house on the balls of his feet as he pulled his gun from the back of his jeans and pulled back the chamber to prepare it for firing.

The sound of somebody crawling through the living room made him turn slightly and enter the adjoining dining room. If somebody was doing something illegal they would expect somebody through the living room door to the kitchen rather than through the dining room and Logan's office.

The sight that greeted him when he edged into the living room confused him. It seemed empty. He spread out his senses and felt two humans hidden within the tangle of tables, chairs and cushions. He released a chuckle as he saw Logan crawl out of the 'fort' with a desperate look on his face. Logan took a couple of seconds to realise that he wasn't alone but when he saw Riley standing there he sent him a pleading look.

"Thank God somebody came. Please you have to help me!" Riley raised his eyebrows as the man pleaded with him. This man, who secretly defied the powers of city politics on a daily basis, was defeated. Riley found himself wondering who the other person was and whether they had a hand in this. A small head popped up from the other side of the fort and Riley couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh." Riley smirked at the man on the floor. "Don't tell me you've been defeated by a little…girl." He left the human part out of it but Logan caught it and glanced at the girl as he pulled himself up with exhaustion.

"Riley, this is Brittany." Logan introduced them. The girl just looked at him with a suspicious look before turning her nose up at him.

Riley snorted in amusement. Talk about spoilt kids. "Like I care." Riley whispered so that Logan could hear but the girl couldn't. He wasn't that heartless, well he was but the girl didn't have to suffer for it.

Riley swirled around and walked back into the office where he proceeded to pull out a page of a notebook with writing on it. Pass codes and encryptions for a computer mainframe for a company that was polluting a neighbourhood in the city and making a lot of money on the side in illegal chemical sales. "That's the Veton mainframes access codes. Try not to get caught." He didn't bother to look at Logan since he knew that the man had been trying to get access to evidence against Veton for the last week. "Try not to get distracted by trivial matters."

"It doesn't matter. I called Max and she's coming over." Logan said to his back.

"Oh look at that. The worlds most highly trained killers being turned into childminders." Riley laughed viciously. "Where is the World going?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley spent the day trailing Otto around the city after he left the water front warehouse that was currently housing White's operation. He followed on his stolen Ninja for a good hour before the man finally stopped at a fishing dock where three fishing craft were neatly tucked against the piers. Otto got out of his car but Riley just drove around to the protective wall and pulled off his helmet.

From where he was he could hear Otto's conversation across the water of the dock and he listened intently with a frown on his face. The fishermen had captured what they were calling a Mermaid whose only distinguishing features were gills on her sides and a barcode tattooed to the back of her neck. Riley actually growled at this but he did get a boon for listening in. They'd sold her to a strip club in sector 4 and she was on display there. Riley waited for Otto to leave before going to pull out his phone.

It was getting late and Riley knew that Sketchy and Alec had planned on visiting a strip club in sector 4 tonight. Riley had refused to go claiming that it was a waste of time but he had to admit that he didn't like the idea of Alec going either. He felt annoyed and if he admitted it - a tad jealous. His fingers froze on the keypad though when he caught a glimmer of black under the water of the dock. He focused his eyes through the water and saw an X-3 flitting through the water. Or more specifically X3-281 a human-shark hybrid who Riley hadn't seen since a year before Manticore had been burned to the ground. Riley got off of the bike and made his way down the wall using a rickety ladder that he didn't quite trust. At the bottom he hung off of his right arm and both legs and bent so that his left hand could reach the water. He put his hand on the surface of the water and tapped out a rhythm in the water.

It only took a second before he saw the X3 turn to face him and focus on him. 281 should recognise him easily enough; Riley had spent a lot of time working with him in Manticore since they didn't require a computer program to translate when he was around. 281 swam towards him warily having obviously had little contact with the other transgenics since their escape.

His head popped up out of the window with a frown on his face. "Hi, 281."

A series of high pitched sounds emitted from 281's throat but Riley didn't hear them, only the words that the merman was speaking to him. "862."

"Everyone just calls me Riley now." Riley told him. "Is she a friend of yours?"

"258." 281 told him. "Mate." Even though Riley could understand the words the vocabulary was still limited. The human-shark hybrids spoke more in movements than in words.

"Ah." Riley said. "Do you have a filter suit?"

281 nodded and lifted a hand to stall Riley before diving under the water. Riley didn't have to wait long before the merman had returned with a suit around his torso which held a reservoir of water over his gills to allow him to breathe.

Riley jerked his head up and started to climb back to his bike. At the top he paused and glanced at the now land based and rather wet X3 who took on a defensive stance. Riley frowned but sighed knowing that he'd always get this reaction. He had known both 281 and 258 in Manticore rather well and was almost friends with them but he wasn't known as a friendly transgenic. He was known to all transgenics as heartless, cold and calculating. Nobody trusted him easily.

Riley held out his hands in offering before closing the gap between them. 281 tensed but he didn't move to strike. Riley sighed loudly but grasped onto 281's lower arm and gripped it tightly. 281 stared into his eyes carefully but twisted his grip slightly and grabbed Riley's arm in a firm grasp as he accepted Riley's sincerity. "Let's go rescue your gal." Riley smiled at him kindly.

Riley swung himself onto the bike before passing the helmet to 281 to wear since he wasn't as well versed in bike travel. "Get on and hold onto my waist."

Riley would never say that 281 was like a fish out of water but the X3 was having to put his faith in Riley so he made sure that he explained everything he was doing to him to avoid any harsh situations. It was fortunate that they had spent so much time together in training exercises in the past and that 281 did trust him to some extent. Riley stopped off at his and Alec's place to pick up a jacket to cover the filter device and also grab a holster and a handgun for the merman to wear.

They arrived at the strip club just as the night was picking up and after sharing a disgusted look they walked inside. It was packed, from wall to wall there were hundreds of men staring at dozens of girls dancing provocatively and against the far wall was a large tank holding 258 exposing to all the world her gills though she seemed to be making an effort to hide her barcode.

Riley sidled closer to 281. "It's too busy, we'll have to keep watch and make our move when it quiets down." He whispered to his partner. "Don't worry; she's safe as long as one of us is here. Split up and keep watch."

Riley watched as 281 slipped off into the crowd. Riley wasn't bothered about him standing out, he himself was wearing a similar black jacket and his handgun wasn't brilliantly disguised. He knew that White's man wouldn't make his move when there were so many witnesses and hopefully with the two of them obviously keeping watch the man would think twice or actually come for one of them first.

Riley slipped off to patrol the bar area but didn't buy a drink since he wanted to be completely on top of his game and even if the alcohol wouldn't really effect him he didn't want to take that risk. He spotted Sketchy in the crowds after a while and slipped over to him wondering where Alec was. He dismissed the girl that was flirting over him with a blunt jerk of his head before leaning towards the young man.

"Where's Alec?"

"You're the guy from Crash. What did you do to piss off Original Cindy?" Sketchy asked.

Riley was confused for a moment before he remembered that he'd left Original Cindy rather confused and threatened when he'd walked out of Crash last. He hadn't seen either since. "She deserved it." Riley spoke simply before repeating his question.

"No idea." Sketchy told him. "Haven't seen him since we arrived."

Riley turned away and walked off towards the exit and didn't see Max sneak in from the back entrance or Alec slip in with a crowd. Riley walked out onto a fire escape and with a few bounds he made his way up onto the roof of the building so he could prevent any entry through windows and fire escapes though with this type of crowd White's man would just use the front entrance.

It was almost another hour of keeping watch before something happened. 281 was shoved out of the front door by none other than Alec. Riley rolled his eyes in annoyance; this had something to do with 452. Alec led 281 down a side alley before the merman twisted out of his grip and pulled his gun. Alec dodged and twisted forward to knock the gun out of 281's grip as Riley jumped across the building opposite.

Before he was halfway to the scene he saw 452 break out of the strip club and run toward the fight just as 281 got a lucky hit on Alec and threw him into a pile of crates. Riley felt a chuckle form in his throat, he'd forgotten how much stronger the human-shark hybrid was compared to the X5s. Riley watched in curiosity as 281 and 452 battle it out for a few seconds but just as 452 punched 281 in the side where the filter was Riley decided that they were just wasting time now. He drew his gun and slipped off the side of the building landing with a soft thump just behind and to the side of 452 and levelled the gun to her temple before she could follow up on her attack to his partner.

If Riley had expected a counter attack he wasn't disappointed or surprised. She swung her arm around to knock the gun away but Riley just bent backwards to avoid it before twisting back and kicking her in the chest sending her sprawling back onto the ground.

"Stop it you idiot!" Riley snapped and both 452 and Alec, who had just gotten back to his feet, gasped out in shock at his sudden appearance. Riley put his handgun back into his jeans with a glare at them. He turned to check on the merman but his eyes just narrowed as he saw the water emptying from the reservoir. "452!" She winced at the designation. "Get him somewhere safe and underwater. Alec you're coming with me."

"Where are we going?" Alec asked even as 452 moved to try to help the merman out. Before Riley could answer they heard a scream and Riley and Alec started running back to the club. They had to run against the crowds swarming out of the building. When they finally got in it was to see a completely empty tank of water.

"Shit!" Riley swore annoyed at everything. "You and your slut just _had_ to stick your noses in and screw everything up didn't you?"

Alec recoiled in shock at Riley's words. He'd never spoken like this before. "What is your problem? We were trying to help."

Riley didn't know whether it was the fact that Alec had screwed up that was winding him up or whether it was because Alec had gone to 452 for help when he'd seen the X3 and not called him but at the moment he just felt fury in him. "You wanted to help?" Riley glared at him. "Well then, have fun and good luck trying to keep her alive now."

Riley spun on his heels ignoring Alec's retort as he walked from the room. He was annoyed at Alec and had been ever since Zack had come back to Seattle. First it was the whole Zack vanishing without telling Riley where his old family was and then the fact that Alec and 452 were still close regardless of what Alec had heard from Riley and now it was because of Alec's blatant preference for 452 over Riley.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley staked out White's warehouse for the rest of the night knowing that White would be holding 258 in there until he could transport her to a more secure location. He also knew that there was no way into the building for somebody like him without causing chaos. A large conveyor bridge reached out into the water and Riley was laid out on it watching the facility so that when they shipped her out he could make his move. It wouldn't take much to force the truck off of the road and into the water. He didn't have to worry about her drowning and could take his time breaking her out of the sunken truck.

The sun was way up in the sky when a truck arrived along the water front from sector the next sector. He watched it go in and slipped down the bridge support and started backtracking to where his bike was camouflaged almost a mile away. He planned to use it to drive the truck off the road trusting that the driver would choose water over crashing. His plans went completely out the window as he heard the most annoying voice he had memorised. 452.

"Hey, it's me. Are you sure this is the place?" Riley heard 452 talking. He rolled his eyes but a new plan was already forming in his mind. He vaulted onto the stake of crates that was currently blocking his view of them and then sat down on the edge of the pile looking down at the three transgenics.

"How do we get in?" She asked into the phone.

"Oh please." Riley interrupted sarcastically making all three round on him but he was far above them. "Don't tell me you're getting the human to teach you tactics now? Hang up the phone 452."

"What!?" 452 frowned looking untrustingly at the phone as if it was about to explode. Alec was keeping silent whilst 281 was just watching the exchange.

"Unless its part of your plan to get us all captured by White I'd turn it off. He's monitoring all cell phone traffic in the area." Riley lied. It wasn't true he just wanted to be annoying.

"Sorry Logan, we'll report in afterwards. Yes we can handle it on our own." She closed the phone and saw Riley smiling at her victoriously. "You lied."

"Oh like that's a new thing!" Riley scoffed as he vaulted down. "You spend far too much wishing for something that can't happen."

"What's that supposed to mean?" 452 growled out.

Riley felt a small twinge of pity for her, he was starting to feel what it was to like somebody who didn't return it. "Max, Max, Max." Riley shook his head slightly and ignored Alec's rather shocked look at his decision to use her name. "Logan is beyond your reach. I know perfectly well what Alec did to him, they've tried to get me to do the same thing too but it doesn't work with me. You can't cure it."

"There was an antidote!" Max denied.

"To cure him, yes, but not you." Riley told her. "We reject the antidote but you don't reject the virus. You can't get it out of your system."

Alec was looking rather pale, Riley felt slightly guilty for bringing it up so brought the matter back on hand. "There's no entrance point easily accessible. I was going to send the truck into the water and then break her out but our friend here gives us another, less risky, option."

"What?" 281 asked making Max look at him with shock as she realised he had understood it.

"There is an old water pipe which comes out there." Riley pointed into the water at their backs where bubbles could be seen breaking the surface. "If he can swim up the pipe he can let the two of you in through the fire escape on the roof. You can use one of their vehicles to make your escape."

Max nodded gratefully and Riley felt himself begrudgingly respect her. She was foolhardy but she did truly want to save 258. Alec moved to the side to get ready but Riley grabbed his arm. "I'll cover your escape from my bike." Alec nodded harshly. "White thinks we're both dead, that's the only reason we're not being hunted by him. If he sees you he'll know you're still alive."

Alec narrowed his eyes. "What do you care?" Alec ripped his arm out of his grasp with a snarl. Riley let him go with a sigh and hung his head as the three walked off.

"I do care." He whispered softly and knew that all three had heard it but before they could look around he was gone. He'd wait for them to be safely away from the warehouse before he left the city. He'd find Zack and force the whereabouts of the others from him especially this supposed niece of his.

He was waiting on his motor cycle half an hour later when he heard the truck rev up and burst from the doors of the building. He slipped his helmet on over his head not wanting anyone to recognise him and gunned the engine. The truck careened passed him and he got a flash of Max's face in the front seat.

"Real subtle Max." Riley shook his head and revved the engine as two hummers burst from inside the building. He pulled away but kept to the higher ledge that ran along the other side of the road to the water. The hummers were catching up to the heavy truck quite quickly and Riley knew from experience that White would just as soon shot the truck and kill everyone then let them escape. He hit a slight ramp and jerked the bike just as it left the ground.

The hummers dodged slightly as he came down from the ten foot drop in front of them and he quickly swerved the bike in loops to slow them down knowing that it would only be a few seconds until the truck could get off of the road and its occupants could get lost in the city. A bullet whistled over his head and he swerved away from the next one just as the truck vanished from the road. He span the bike around leaving a massive trail of rubber on the road and then shot towards the left hummer.

He just caught sight of the drivers shocked face before it swerved off course and straight into the front wheel of the second one. Riley smirked from under his blackened visor as he saw White's enraged face in the second hummer before he short passed. He glanced over his shoulder to find that the first hummer was tilted down with its front axle snapped in two whilst the other was vainly attempting to turn around to chase him since they had all missed where the truck had gone.

Riley smiled to himself before turning the bike up onto the dyke and roaring to the top and down the other side to head in the opposite direction. Time to get out of the city for a while.

'_And away from Alec so I can think.'_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	9. Hated Truth

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 9; Hated Truths

Riley had gone through two tanks of gas for his Ninja Motorcycle and made liberal use of his faked Federal ID that he had altered ever so slightly so that it couldn't be traced by White's gang and was now far inside the southern states but it was only recently that he felt like he was away from everything up North and more importantly away from Alec and Max and all the emotional trouble that they gave him.

He had no doubts about his reputation amongst the Transgenics, or his brothers and sisters as Max would say. They hated him because they all knew that he had worked with White in the beginning whether he had been mislead or not and regardless of the ones that he had helped in the meantime. It was only a matter of time before some of them found him and made a move against him. He'd have warning if it was anyone other than X-5's but if his class-mates decided to attack him he'd have no warning.

Alec and Max could handle things and even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone else, they didn't really need him to protect them. Nobody really did anymore. Especially Alec and it was that revelation that told him the most about what he felt towards Alec. He _wanted_ to be needed by Alec, he wanted to be able to contribute something to Alec's life so that he couldn't be replaced and it was because Riley knew that he wanted Alec in his life. The rest he could move on from and forget about but he felt lonely and miserable when he wasn't around Alec.

He liked his team-mate with feelings that Transgenics were raised not to be able to feel. He was flawed just like Max was when it came to Logan but at least Riley's flaw wasn't a weak link in the chain. Logan couldn't protect himself like Alec could. That's what Riley was telling himself at any rate.

Riley was jolted from his brooding when his cell phone began to ring in his pocket. He was surprised since the only person who he had given this number to was Alec and the last time he had spoken to him was before the bust out from White's base of operations. He pulled to the side of the road and yanked of his helmet even as he opened the flap to his phone and memorised the number that appeared on the face.

"Hello?" He asked.

__

"Riley?" Riley's body instantly went on alert as the familiar voice of Donald Lydecker called him by name.

"Why are you calling me?" Riley asked as he listened carefully to his senses that told him that there wasn't anybody within half a mile. Still he scanned the tree line and the darkness beyond for watchers even in the dark of night.

__

"I can't tell you that over the phone." Lydecker told him. _"Are you in Seattle still?"_

Riley paused but since he didn't really care what happened to him in that instant he decided to be truthful. "I'm about a four day ride from Seattle."

__

"Name me a place we can meet up and we can talk." Lydecker suggested.

"Bronke's Café ten miles East of Highway 25." Riley told him thinking of the small café he had passed last evening. He could just about make it back there by dawn if he pushed the bike to its limits.

__

"I can be there tomorrow early afternoon." Lydecker told him.

"Done. Oh… and Lydecker, if you're trying to trick me you know what I will do to you. I'm not Manticore's loyal soldier. Any hint of treachery and you'll be the first to die." Riley warned.

__

"Understood." The line went dead and Riley pocketed the phone. The thought of actually following the plan didn't even cross his mind as he put on his helmet and headed back the way he came. He'd picked that Café for one simple reason, it only had one road in and another road out that was currently under the control of a criminal group. Lydecker would only be able to approach from one side and Riley could cut him off.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley had sensed the approaching car and the single human occupant five minutes before they would have met as they drove towards each other along the almost unused road. Most of the roads out here were only used once or twice a day since in this world people couldn't afford to go driving about and those that could flew to avoid being attacked by desperate criminals.

Riley waited behind a copse of trees off to the side of the road as the black Toyota 4x4 passed by and he scanned through the windows to verify that the occupant was in fact Lydecker. He had let his hair grow out to below his ears rather than the close cut he had always worn but to somebody genetically modified to have a photographic memory and a visual acuity that digital cameras would envy, verifying everything from facial structure and hair colour to the shape of his teeth and eye colour all within a split second was done as second nature.

Riley gunned the bike and tore off after the truck. He watched as Toyota jerked ever so slightly and could imagine the exact determined expression that passed over his old trainer's face as he realised that he was being followed and that his pursuer couldn't be outrun. Riley overtook the car making sure that he kept well clear of its side so that Lydecker didn't get any ideas about running him off of the road. He drove forwards a few dozen metres before skidding the bike around to the side and pulling his pistol from the inside of his jacket.

The Toyota's breaks screamed as Lydecker tried to spin it in time to protect himself but Riley's shot wasn't aimed at the front window but at the front right tyre that because of Lydecker's evasive manoeuvre had just tripled it's load. The tyre exploded as the bullet hit it where the pressure was greatest and the car lost control despite Lydecker's efforts.

Riley calmly got off of the bike as the car came to a shuddering stop in the centre of the road and pulled off his helmet. He walked slowly towards the car with his gun held ready but relaxed and stopped at five metres as Lydecker recognised him and pulled himself slowly from the car.

"Leave the gun on the dash, Lydecker." Riley warned with a gesture of his gun to show he was serious. Lydecker did as he was told before turning to face him. Riley had to admit that the man had barely changed even though he was supposed to be dead according to Ames White.

"We were supposed to meet at the Café." Lydecker pointed out as Riley holstered his gun and visibly relaxed as he paid attention to his sense that told him that there still wasn't anyone other than Lydecker in the area. He wasn't stupid though and there might still be X-5s around.

"You didn't really think I would actually be where I said I would be did you, Lydecker?" Riley raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "Give me some credit."

Lydecker shrugged. "I don't know how to read you and your brothers and sisters anymore. Out of all the things that I had thought would happen this wasn't one of them."

"That's what happens when you try to force people to do things they don't want to do." Riley pointed out.

"You never used to have a problem with killing people." Lydecker retorted.

"And I still don't but now I don't do it because somebody orders me to, I only do it when I'm threatened." Riley told him bluntly.

"Or when 494 is threatened?" Lydecker asked. "He is the only one you would go out of way to help in Manticore."

"It seems you can still read us." Riley smirked without denying the accusation as to his weakness.

"Why did you agree to meet with me?" Lydecker asked. "And why didn't you just abduct me and interrogate me instead of this chat in the middle of the road."

"I want answers and you are the only one that I know that can answer them, or that I'll believe is telling the truth." Riley admitted. "As to why I haven't kidnapped you for my own safety; Baring the presence of X-5s there isn't another person for half a mile in any direction."

"Still using that sense of yours then?" Lydecker asked.

"Of course I am, you didn't train us to pass up advantages." Riley retorted. "That's part of what I want to know."

"What do you mean?"

"Who am I?" Riley asked as he hoisted himself up onto the Toyota's bonnet. Lydecker raised an eyebrow at his rather casual attitude. "I trust you to some extent, besides I could kill you in half the time it takes for you to think about attacking me. The fact that you are still alive with so many of us Transgenics running free only serves to prove that you are a very lucky man."

Lydecker snorted. "I have no delusions about how I am going to die. Who are you?" He repeated with a confused tone. "X5-331974327862. You call yourself Riley Faedren."

Riley sent him an annoyed look. "Don't be an idiot, Lydecker, my respect for you can wane extremely quickly. What makes me different to the others?"

"I always wondered when you'd ask that." Lydecker sighed. "To be honest I don't think you'll want the answer."

"It used to bother me before the others escaped but after that I simply put it aside. You always told us to question why we had advantages in case they were traps but my abilities were just an easier way to find my targets and keep myself alive so I accepted them." Riley admitted.

"Why the sudden change?"

"I met Zack a while ago and it brought everything back to me." Riley told him without expression. "All about the others, Krit, Tinga, Zane, Ben and even Eva." Riley gave Eva's killer a chilling look as he said her name.

"You really want the truth?" Lydecker asked ignoring the jab at his conscience. Riley nodded slowly. "You know you weren't bred in Manticore. You came to us when you were fifteen months old when your Aunt and Uncle sold you to us after your real parents were murdered."

"My Aunt sold me?" Riley was shocked, he'd always known he was modified rather than bred, it had been a point that the instructors had used against him, the rest surprised him though. Family had never meant much to Riley except for the way he viewed his brothers and sisters but he had always seen in the world that you cared for your relatives and didn't sell them. This was just more proof that you shouldn't rely solely on family.

"I couldn't stand them to be honest. They were British and very proper, couldn't stand your abilities." Lydecker admitted.

"My abilities, so I had abilities before Manticore?" Riley asked.

Lydecker nodded. "Unlike the other X-5's you were altered after your birth to give you the same traits as the others." He told him and Riley nodded. "We limited your other abilities to better control you but by doing so we focused the abilities you could use."

"So I was human before you changed me?" Riley asked.

"No." Lydecker sighed. "You were what they call a Wizard. The abilities you can use are just another ability but they call it Magic."

"You have got to be kidding me." Riley raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not joking." Lydecker assured him. "We found the genetic codes that gave you your magic and isolated them. We severed your active control over them and gave the other X-5s their immunity to them. Then we found ways to utilise the genetic sequences in the Psy-ops branches and made sure that the X-5s were still vulnerable to them."

"Is that why I'm immune to them, my magic protects me?" Riley asked.

Lydecker nodded again. "It protects you from a lot but not magic itself. You're not immune like the others. After you were successfully tested to show that your genes were permanently manipulated and the other X-5s were proven to be immune to magic it was decided that you would all be earmarked to stand against the Wizards or Witches if they tried to attack us. You unit was supposed to lead that fight but after they escaped we had to change our plans."

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"The X-7's were designed so that mental influences couldn't effect them since that is the Wizard's main advantage over us but their immunity didn't hold as well as in the X-5s." Lydecker lectured. "In the end we had to make do with what remained of the X-5s and trained you for situations against Wizards all the time keeping you oblivious to it."

Riley sat in silence for a time as he contemplated everything and analysing everything he had just been told. It was obvious that Lydecker wasn't lying since such a story was too far fetched to be effective if it was a lie. There was something that bothered him though.

"Do I still have family left?" Riley asked.

"No." Lydecker sighed. "I think you have a Godmother and Godfather somewhere in the Wizarding World but we couldn't locate them. After the others in your unit escaped it was decided to terminate your Aunt, Uncle and Cousin in case you found out about them."

"Terminate them?" Riley gasped.

"We sent two X-5s after them. 494 and 728." Lydecker spoke quietly but Riley's body froze up completely.

"Alec killed my family?" Riley choked, even as he thought about it he realised that he remembered Alec and 728, or Christian, had gone on a week long mission though it wasn't undercover.

"He didn't know who the targets were of course, only that your Uncle was a contractor to Manticore that had run to England to escape us." Lydecker sighed. "He didn't question the lie."

Riley sighed explosively. There was no point worrying about it now. They were dead and it wasn't really Alec's fault. Besides, they had sold him into a genetic alteration program just to get rid of him and make some money in the process. He'd probably have killed them if he had found out about them.

It must have been a full five minutes before Riley spoke again. "You were the one who called me. Why?"

"Oh yes, you took me off guard a bit there." Lydecker admitted. "I'm guessing either you found out about 656's son, Case, or that 452 told you about him."

"Zack and Max told me." Riley said referring to Tinga and her son.

"You might be interested to know that they are being watched by a group of White's men." Lydecker told him.

"Why are they just watching them?" Riley asked even as he jumped up from the bonnet.

"Probably waiting for the other X-5s to try to rescue them so he can capture them as well." Lydecker told them. "I don't think White will be there but he has around ten men on them."

"That's easy pickings." Riley pointed out.

"I know that but White is still underestimating the Transgenics." Lydecker pointed out. "Trouble is that they placed bombs around the building so they can simply blow the building with Case and his father, Charlie, inside along with any Transgenics that try to save them. As far as he is concerned if they can't get you alive they'll kill you."

"White has his own agenda and it isn't anything to do with the Federal one. He's working with someone else." Riley told him.

"I know, it's a cult but I don't know what they are working towards yet."

"Where is Case?" Riley asked after his nephew.

"About a hundred miles south east of here in a small town called Mount Viers." Lydecker told him.

"Thanks." Riley made to pull on his helmet.

"I'll let you know anything else I find, you seem to be the only Transgenic that won't just kill me." Lydecker told him seriously before reaching out. Riley let him grab his arm without resisting. "Be careful of these Wizards. I've just come from England and they are looking for you."

"Why?" Riley was shocked this time, if he was so important why had they sold him.

"They didn't know until ten years ago that you had gone but after your family's death they started searching for you. They are in a war and they want your help." Lydecker informed him.

"How do they even know I am alive?" Riley asked.

"I don't know, must be their magic." Lydecker sighed. "Just be careful and don't forget that your biggest advantage against them is the other X-5s immunity. If you get involved with them then you need to have their help."

Riley watched Lydecker for a while as the man contemplated his wheel before giving in and helping him change the tyre for the spare. Riley spent the whole five minutes running his heritage through his head and by the time he was on his bike travelling at a hundred and twenty miles an hour he had decided not to do anything about the Wizards unless they came for him. He would however need to talk to Alec about his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next morning

Riley slipped through the shadows of the town wearing a set of stolen black fatigues. He wore a grapple hook and a gun capable of firing it as well as his holstered gun. He had no use for night vision goggles or even night scopes. Fibre Optics were also useless for Transgenics since he could hear much better than humans and their acuity was so good that he could picture where people were. That and his senses gave him a massive advantage over humans. They were designed to be able to infiltrate bases solo or in pairs and take out hundreds of normal enemy soldiers, most of which were supposed to fall before the alarm was sounded.

In this case it was only a matter of a dozen federal agents and a hostage situation. The building in question was empty except for Case and Charlie and the agents but the building was lined with C4 and the leading guard had the trigger. If they knew they couldn't capture the Transgenics that would come to rescue their 'nephew' then they would kill everyone.

Riley slipped into a building quite a ways down the street knowing that if X-5s had come to rescue Case that they would stage it from this building. It was far enough away that the Agents wouldn't have put sentries there but close enough to give them a view of the entire area so that the Agents couldn't slip away in secret. Riley couldn't sense anybody in the building but knew that that didn't mean anything so he headed straight for the top floor.

Outside of the top apartment he settled to listen to the inside of the room. He could hear muttered words but not their comments and since he couldn't sense their presence he knew that they had to be X-5s but he wouldn't be sure until he saw them whether they were from the '09 escape or from the more recent one. He didn't know which he would prefer.

He sat there for five minutes trying to listen and find out if there was an X-5 on watch duty on the other side of the door but all he sensed was emptiness. It only took him two more minutes and the sight of an overhead cavity to come up with a plan and in seconds he was in the cavity without making a sound and even though he knew that there would be some kind of device in here to prevent intrusion he hoped that they wouldn't have taken a Transgenic into account.

It was a long winded way to talk to them but he wanted to be sure that he got the drop on them. He wanted to see them first before he acted or he might just end up with a few bullets riddling his body.

The device came later than he would have expected but by the dust that he could just about make out he could see that they had been here for at least a week. Obviously one of them had been looking out for Case and his father since before the Agents had arrived and had fled to here and gotten the word out as soon as he or she could. The device was a simple alarm and he disabled it easily before continuing. It had been in the dark and only his advanced eyes had allowed him to see it. He took the pin with him for safe keeping rather than risk losing it.

Below him through the grating he could only make out the sentry that was looking out of the side window and down the main street whilst listening to the stairs outside of the room. The others were probably out on the roof that made up half of the top floor of this particular building. Riley dropped from the cavity like a panther and landed without a sound behind the X-5 before he grabbed her around the throat and pulled her to her feet.

He trapped her legs and arms with his own and held her with all his strength so that she couldn't make a sound. It was extremely difficult to hold an X-5 in silence since it was so easy to make a sound that other X-5s could hear but Riley wasn't the best for nothing. However even he couldn't do it if he didn't get the element of surprise.

"Your cavity alarm isn't X-5 proof, I'm afraid." He whispered wickedly in her ear without moving his hand from over her mouth and jaw. "Very disappointing, but then again you are up against humans so I'll let it slide. Let's go and see what the others are talking about. You looked rather lonely in here by yourself."

He mentally noted that he was being overly harsh with his teasing but he didn't recognise her stature and since he still couldn't sense her with his 'magic' that meant that she was one of his original family. The missing family that Alec had eventually replaced in his heart. He pushed her slowly out of the open doors and onto the gravel-lined rooftop.

"I don't understand why they are still here." Riley recognised Seth's voice before he saw him. He and Zane, who's profile he could easily make out against the rising moon were the only two he recognised. It seemed that Zack wasn't here though and Riley again didn't know how that made him feel.

Riley tightened his grip on his 'sister' as she tried to warn them and she went still, probably waiting for an opportunity to reverse their positions. Riley's larger profile was so far keeping her in control.

"Maybe they are waiting for White?" The third male on the rooftop spoke up but Riley couldn't work out who he was. Riley still flinched slightly though and his captive noticed it. Riley decided to speak up before she got out of his hold or the others heard their breathing.

"Actually they are waiting for you four." Riley's voice was barely more than a whisper but the three spun around so fast that Riley was sure they had nearly had heart attacks. They all fell into defensive stances and Zane pulled a gun and aimed it at him. "Fire that thing and I'll just have to beat you up again Zane. That goes for you too Seth."

"Ri…" Zane stammered off as he realised it wouldn't be a good thing to say out loud. "862."

Riley's captive gasped in shock and a small bit of horror and Riley saw that the third male went rather pale. Riley pushed the girl over into the open space to his side and held out his hands to the side as he stepped two steps forwards. He kept Zane's gaze in his own and surprised them all when he ducked slightly and jumped forwards. They were all too shocked at his presence to do more than follow their instincts but they were too slow to stop Riley from snatching the gun from Zane's hand and slipping through them to stand on the low wall that surrounded the roof. It took them only an instant to work out what was happening and they turned around to see Riley already sitting with his legs over the edge of the building.

"Damn that was fast." The third male whistled lowly as he and the girl came up on his right, obviously not seeing him as much of a threat when it would only take them an instant to push him into a fifteen story fall to his death.

"There wasn't much left at Manticore but training after you left me." Riley croaked quietly. Faced with four of his old family he was barely holding on to his tightly tuned control over his emotions. He glanced at Zane and Seth on his left with a pleading look. "Who are they?" His voice barely carried but all four heard him.

"That's Krit and Sly." Seth spoke just as quietly. Riley stared towards their target building without looking at the two. He could recognise them now without looking again. Krit had always been a cheerful boy and Sly had chosen her name because of her petite size and her sarcastic wit.

"And that's Tinga's son?"

"Yeah." Krit croaked just as emotionally as Riley felt. Riley pushed himself to standing and turned to the two.

"I don't really know how I feel right now." He told them sincerely. "I know I still feel betrayed by you but that was a long time ago and I've forgiven Seth and Zane, partly because I just captured them and gave them to White but I've also managed to forgive Max and Zack for using me. I'm just really confused with everything right now but I do know that I still love you all like I used to."

Riley's words shocked even as they seemed to echo across the silent rooftop. The others didn't even breath but Riley noticed with shock something that he hadn't expected. All four of them had wet eyes, he realised in surprise that his own were the same.

"We can talk about this properly later but I just want to say that if there was any way to get you out as well we would have." Krit told him. "Me and Sly tried to look for you when we attacked Manticore with Max and Zack. It was something we demanded to do but Lydecker said he'd sent you out before he was betrayed so that you were clear of the fire. Something about the new director being after you specifically."

"What!?" Riley rounded on her. "What exactly did he say?"

"He said that as soon as he found out that the new director was taking an interest in your special abilities she wanted to do experiments on you. Lydecker didn't want that so he sent you on a mission." Sly told him.

"Lydecker hoped that Zane and Seth would be able to overcome you but I think he under estimated you." Krit overcame the tense moment by smirking in the aforementioned two's direction.

"I was wondering why somebody like Lydecker would send only one X-5 to capture two." Riley sighed. "It seemed wrong."

"Why did you still do it then?" Sly asked in confusion.

Riley shrugged. "I was still following orders then."

"Then?" Zane asked. "What happened with White then?"

"He ordered his men to kill me so I faked my death when they shot me so White and his goons think I'm dead." Riley smirked at them.

"Faked?" Sly asked.

"They shot me in the chest." Riley told her cheekily. "I just played along."

"Later I think." Seth interrupted. "Are you going to help us?"

Riley settled himself down again on the ledge before he continued. "I've done a lot to the other Transgenics that I'm not proud of because I was so angry at you lot that I've been trying for over two months now to make up for it. All the Transgenics in Seattle are out for my blood."

"All of them?" Krit raised his eyebrows up at him.

"Well not Max, Alec or a few others." Riley succeeded. "But my relationship with Alec is a bit weird at the moment." The others seemed to want to comment but kept to themselves. "I'm here to help."

"How did you find out about this?" Seth asked him suddenly realising that Zack wouldn't have sent Riley without telling them first.

"Lydecker contacted me." Riley shrugged. "In all honesty I kinda like him. He's been spying on White."

"Is that what you meant about them waiting for us then?" Sly asked.

Riley nodded. "He's waiting for you to make a move but he's underestimated our numbers. He wants more Transgenics to put on his trophy wall and because of me he's had more than he should. I won't let him have my nephew as well."

He missed the grins from the others but didn't miss it when Sly put her arm around his waist and hugged him followed by Seth on his other side. "So we just take them out then?" Zane asked.

"No." Riley shook his head but didn't pull out of the double hug. "The whole building is rigged to blow so they can kill us all if they can't catch us. White's idea of a 'Plan B'."

"So unoriginal." Seth snorted.

"But effective." Krit pointed out.

"There are guards patrolling the top floors and another two in the room with Case and Charlie." Krit told Riley. "They're our top priority but we need them out before they realise we're there."

"Once I'm closer I'll be able to tell you exactly where the agents are so they can't surprise us." Riley pointed out.

"Your abilities still work then?" Krit asked.

"Better than ten years ago." Riley told them with a smirk. "The Agents in the building won't be a problem and I doubt they'll carry the trigger with them. That'll be by the front door."

"So what do you reckon then?" Zane asked.

"We grapple from the half built building on the west side since they wont be able to place a guard in there." Riley started. "Go in from the top floor windows, find Case and Charlie and then grapple back."

"Hopefully by the time they realise something is wrong we'll be back on the other building." Seth pointed out. "But if they evac and blow the building it will take down the other building too."

"Good point." Riley sighed. "We'll have to make sure they can't get the word out."

"How do we do that?" Sly frowned. "We can't carry that much rope."

"We could kill them." Riley pointed out but he only received sour looks and he admitted to himself that he wasn't sure he could simply kill now without following orders. "Fine, we'll just have to make sure that they don't wake up until next week."

"Give us half an hour for the others to kit out." Riley looked at Krit who had spoken and realised that he was already wearing the same sort of gear that Riley was. "Can I talk to you while they do?"

Riley just smiled up at Krit and chucked the gun at Zane without looking at him and was pleased that they hadn't dropped all of their training as he chatted to Krit about his life out of Manticore and watched the others gear up around him. It was time for him to pay his dead Sister back for his crimes against those Transgenics that he had helped to kill. Something he'd never forgive himself for.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

An Hour Later

Riley took aim alongside Krit, Zane, Sly and Seth before firing his grappling gun across the gap and straight onto the ledge of the other building. It was a slight upwards route since they were inside the girders of the top five floors of their building which only had floors and walls up to the tenth floor. The building opposite them, their target one, had been completed but it was still easy to hide from the windows as they worked. The night sky would help to hide their ropes and Riley was glad of the easy escape route as he pulled his line tight and tied it off to a girder.

He pulled himself up onto it and stood on it as he tested the strength of it with a low bounce. Satisfied he started walking forwards along the inch thick rope and out over a fifteen story drop with any fear. The others copied him and soon the five of them were running across the gap without a sound and completely invisible from the ground because of the height.

Riley dropped from his rope and caught on with his right hand before flipping upside down and holding onto the rope with his cross feet before letting go with his hand. He reached down and grabbed onto the window sill of the nearest room and tugged up on the window pain. It wasn't locked as he had thought but even if it had been it wouldn't have meant more than a ten second delay.

They left their five windows open as they regrouped in the one room with three windows that they had come through. Riley crouched as he spread out his senses letting the others scout the immediate area for traps or agents.

"Two on the stairwell to the next floor. There's another two in front of a room with one in it on the next floor too but I cant sense anyone else up here." Riley frowned. There should be two in the room unless one was dead or something else. He grinned. "The Kid has the same immunity to my abilities as you guys. Lydecker would be so pleased."

His voice had a touch of bitterness to it but in their current situation the others chose not to comment. Riley followed the others out of the door and they were soon on the next floor leaving two guards in the stairwell very much unconscious and handcuffed to the banister. Riley didn't think that they would wake up until tomorrow morning. Even so they had waited peacefully until they had reported in so that they could spy on the transmission to find out for any shift changes. It also meant they would go unnoticed for longer until the agents missed their check in.

The two guards on the set of rooms didn't give Zane and Sly more than two seconds of trouble as they dropped from the ceiling cavity. They couldn't risk the agents even making a peep through their radios or the agents might just blow the building after running.

Riley checked with his senses as Krit checked the door for bugs before picking the lock that held it shut. Riley nodded to show that they were clear before they carefully opened the door and silently slipped in. Riley and Zane, the only two with guns aimed them at the man sitting on the bed staring at the sleeping boy that Riley couldn't sense. He hadn't noticed them come in.

Riley crossed the room silently as the others spread out and he grabbed the man by the back of his neck and pulled him away from the bed. He held him tightly as he glanced at the others in question.

Sly nodded to him in reassurance with more than a little worried that Riley was about to knock the man out. "Good to see you brother-in-law." Riley smirked at the man as he spoke just after releasing him. He held his gun at the ground as the man looked him over.

"Brother-in-law?" The man frowned as he moved between Riley and the child on the bed.

"Technically not but Tinga was my sister when we were younger." The man frowned before catching sight of Sly and Krit.

"Sly? Krit?" He gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to get you out of here." Sly told him. "Wake Case up quietly."

Riley raised an eyebrow at the man as he didn't move and he spoke up. "I don't recognise you three."

"That's Zane, Seth and Riley." Sly assured him. "They are friends. Might as well be Case's Uncles."

"We won't let anything happen to you." Zane assured him with a small smile.

Charlie caved and moved to wake Case up. Riley studied the boy as he came awake far faster than a human did before he took in the new occupants of the room. Riley made his way out to the corridor in front of the others and they let the two gather a few precious items but it wasn't more than two minutes before the other six joined him there. Riley forced a blank look on his face as he noted Case's face so much like Tinga's had been when he had last seen her.

"You look a lot like your mother you know?" Riley couldn't help but say.

"What do you mean?" Krit asked with confusion as he looked Case over critically.

"You don't remember Tinga like I do. I only have her nine year old face to remember." Riley sighed before seeing the look on Charlie's face. "I was still in Manticore until recently."

"Let's go." Zane led them all back to the stairs and back to their room and Riley was glad that they hadn't run into trouble, that couldn't last though. They were just placing Charlie on the rope in a travelling harness when Riley felt four presences running up the staircases from their place on the tenth floor.

"We've got company coming." Riley moved into action. Krit shoved Charlie out of the window and jumped for the rope to help guide the man across to the other building. "I can carry the kid but I'll have to put him on my back up on the roof."

"Go, we'll pass him up to you." Riley didn't wait to question Zane's suggestion and he vaulted from the window up onto his own line and then up onto the ledge that his grapple was secured on. He took a moment to check that the grapple wouldn't cave under his and Case's combined wait before he leant over the side to grab Case as Zane and Seth carefully passed him up. From there the other three mounted the other ropes with Sly and Seth doubling up and started across the gap as Riley hoisted Case up onto his back where the kid grabbed on for dear life.

"You better hold on, Kid, and don't move a muscle." Riley carefully walked out onto the gap. Really they should have been clipped onto the rope but they didn't have time either here or on the other side to muck around with harnesses. Riley was half way across with the boy's face in his neck hiding from the drop below them when Riley sensed the four men who ran out on the roof behind him. "Damn it!" He swore and glanced across at the five faces watching him. "Go!" He mouthed before twisting on the rope so that any stray shots wouldn't hit Case.

He analysed everything in a second and knew that even if he could kill all four before they got a shot off the guns recoil would probably destabilise the anchor. He chose a different course and with barely a thought to check that the other five had started their way down through the building with his senses searching for Charlie he pulled his gun. "Hold onto me and don't let go. You got that, Case?"

The kid nodded into his neck and Riley felt the boy's arms grip him tighter. Riley shifted his weight ever so slightly before simply firing his gun at the same time as dropping from the rope. His hand had let go of the gun even as the bullet ripped through the rope and his same hand came down on the rope gripping it tightly as it went slack and began falling fast under his weight.

The rope began to pull them in towards their building's tenth floor a split second before Riley's arm jerked with the sudden weight. Riley span himself with catlike grace so his back was to the building and with an instant calculation he began slipping rope through his hand ignoring the burning so that when they struck a window it was on the seventh floor and his back hit it window with a loud crash. The rope jerked out of his hand and he struck an uncovered girder but protected Case from the jolt of the impact.

He let go of Case as he crumbled to the ground and the boy scrambled to the side so that Riley could crouch on the ground as he coughed up enough blood to shock a doctor. Obviously one of his newly broken ribs had punctured his lung. "Come on, Case." Riley forced himself to his feet and grabbed the boy's hand ignoring the blood now running down his chin and onto his black sweater. Riley didn't have to search for the others since they had heard the crash and waited for them on the seventh floor stairs and Krit took hold of Case and carried him down so they could run faster.

Riley didn't complain about their speed since he knew it was necessary but when they finally made it back to the staging building he collapsed against the wall as he heaved up blood that he had been forced to swallow.

"Did they teach you that in Manticore?" Krit couldn't help but ask as he started wiping at the blood on Riley's chin with cold water.

"No." Riley grouched. "They don't train us to get hurt to save a kid."

Krit laughed. "Just shows that you're not a true Manticorian." Riley smiled up at him before he lay himself down on the floor on his side so that his back could heal. He dimly noted that Krit had settled himself down and pulled Riley's head onto his lap to soothe the coughing that came from having his neck at such a sharp angle.

He didn't know how long he lay there but he was surprised to hear Charlie's voice asking him if he was alright. Riley looked up but Krit kept a firm hand on his head to stop him from moving his head too much. "I'll be back to normal in a few days but I'll be fine to move in a couple of hours. I heal faster than the others and far faster than a human."

"What's your name?" Case asked from his father's side.

"Riley."

"Sir Riley." Case smiled widely. "The courageous knight that helped Princess Tinga escape from the evil King."

Riley almost choked in shock at the child's imagination and his confused expression seemed to get Charlie's attention. "Pennie used to tell him bed time stories about Manticore. About a Princess called Tinga that escaped with her brothers and sisters from an Evil King. I've never heard of Sir Riley though."

"Mom said he was a secret!" Case declared. "That one day Princess Tinga would find her lost brothers and sisters and rescue him because they shouldn't have left without him."

Riley felt a tear fall down his cheek and he turned his head into Krit's lap so nobody would see it. He'd thought he'd been forgotten by the others but here were four of them regretting leaving him behind and his sister Tinga had told her own son about one day returning to save him. He fell asleep with that thought in his mind and Krit's fingers on the back of his head.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	10. Past Loves and Pains

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 10; Past Loves and Pains

****

Canadian border

Riley sat on his Ninja just off to the side of the gathering in a car park about a mile from the bridge that marked the border with Canada. A minivan sat next to him with the side door pulled back. Riley had his helmet off and it was perched in front of it as he leant backwards chatting with Sly, Krit, Zane and Seth who were sitting on the floor of the van whilst Case was sleeping against Charlie in the passenger front seat. The 'ordinary' was sitting in silence as he gently held onto his son.

They were waiting for passports and border passes to arrive from Seattle. According to Krit they had called Zack and it was he that had asked Logan for the paperwork that Case and Charlie would need to get out of the country and to safety. The others planned to cross the border as well and that saddened Riley who had enjoyed their week together slowly travelling north.

Riley and the other four transgenics heard the bike approaching from quite a distance away and Riley closed his eyes to listen to his senses and found nobody but Charlie within a half mile radius. He hoped off of his bike and grabbed his gun from the inside of his jacket. "It's an X5." Riley told the others who frowned.

"How do you know that?" Charlie asked as he slowly got out of the minivan with Case in his arms.

"I can't sense any individual yet we can hear one." Riley told him. "Only X-5s are invisible to me."

Charlie frowned at him in confusion but he seemed to have long since accepted that the five of them were too strange to understand. Riley saw the bike coming but even though he knew it was an X5 he didn't move to put away his gun but he did hold it loosely in his hand. He didn't let down his guard until he recognised the features of the X-5 as he came to a stop and got off his bike. Riley strode across the gap as he put the gun away and even as the others noticed what he was doing he drew his hand back and punched him square in the nose before he could think about dodging.

"Riley!" Sly dashed up beside him as Zack groaned from his place on the ground. Riley had pulled his punch enough not to break Zack's nose but left enough power in it to send him flying. "Zack, are you alright?"

"Ouch." Zack groaned as he pushed himself to his feet slowly, obviously not seeing Riley as a threat to his life even if he was a threat to his good health.

"Why did you do that, Riley?" Krit grabbed his shoulder. Riley was tempted to shrug him off but decided against it.

"This git told me he'd take me to meet you all and then skipped town and deserted me again." Riley growled out.

"Wait! What are you doing here?" Zack frowned. "How did you find them all?"

"Lydecker." Riley shrugged before spinning on the spot and moving to his own bike. No matter how much he wanted to be with Krit, Sly, Zane and Seth he didn't particularly want to spend anymore time around Zack for the time being.

"You talked to him and you didn't kill him?" Zack frowned.

"No Zack, I didn't kill him." Riley rounded on the group. "He had answers that I wanted. Answers about where I came from, who my blood family were."

"Were?" Krit frowned. "Blood family?"

"They sold me to Manticore because they hated me, I was some sort of freak to them." Riley admitted. "Manticore killed them. Lydecker has the answers so I didn't kill him. It's that simple."

"Wait, are you leaving already?" Zane asked him as he crossed the gap.

"I need to get back to Seattle." Riley sighed. "And I don't want to stay near him."

Zane glanced over his shoulder at Zack with a sigh. "Take care?" He asked him.

"Sure thing, Zane." Riley smiled sadly.

Zane hugged him. "We're going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you all too, but according to Lydecker, I'm going to need you all in the future." Riley shook his head slightly to stop any questions.

"You have our numbers. Just let us know and we'll be right behind you." Zane told him.

"Thanks, brother." Riley smiled and accepted another hug from Zane and then a quick goodbye from Sly, Seth and Krit. He was just about to pull on his helmet when he felt Case latch himself onto his waist.

"Why do you have to go?" Case asked him. He'd taken a deep liking to Riley and whenever Riley was around Case was at his side. Obviously Tinga's stories had been taken to heart.

"I have other friends I have to go save." Riley told him not wanting to admit that he missed Alec so much that it hurt. He'd been gone for three weeks but still he couldn't get his mind off of his cellmate.

Case nodded and Riley went down onto one knee as soon as Case loosened his grip and pulled him into a hug. Riley smiled up at Charlie. "Look after my nephew."

"Of course I will. Thank you for everything." Charlie nodded seriously.

Riley swung his leg over his Ninja and brought the engine to life. Pulling his helmet on Riley hit the gas and after spinning the bike around on the road he tore off into the distance without a backwards glance.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Seattle - one week later

Riley had been back in town for four days now and had only seen Logan once but had avoided Max and Alec like the plague. He had dropped off some food to Joshua, the dog-hybrid at one point and the transgenic with no barcode had invited him to dinner. He wasn't sure what he thought of that.

He stood looking out of his window wondering whether to take the sixteen block route to Joshua's new house and go to dinner with Max, Alec, Logan and Original Cindy or to ignore the invitation. In the end it came down to him wanting to see Alec so badly that the dinner would be the perfect opportunity since there wouldn't be a chance for him to make a fool of himself or for Alec to kick him out.

In the end he decided to go. He changed into black combat trousers, blood red t-shirt and a black military jacket before leaving the house opting to walk to Joshua's house since he'd spent the whole day on his Ninja looking for White's base of operations without much luck and he didn't feel like riding around for even a minute more today.

It took him half an hour to walk to the house but the trip gave him plenty of time to work on his emotions, or to be more specific hide them completely. By the time he arrived he was as cold as he normally was. He invited himself into the house after noticing that Logan's rather abused car was sitting outside and that he could sense three people inside the building. He assumed that that meant that he was late and that Logan, Original Cindy and of course Joshua were already there. Whether Max and Alec had arrived yet was answered when he walked in and saw Alec lingering by an internal door having obviously not announced his arrival yet if Max's question was any clue.

"Joshua, the table looks great!" Max was saying. Joshua grunted a thanks and she continued. "Who's the fifth and sixth places for?"

"Hey Max." Alec spoke up from the door and Riley frowned at his rather subdued tone. Even after failed missions he hadn't acted like this.

Riley's enhanced hearing heard an irritated sigh and he came up behind Alec out of the shadows. "Hello Max."

He got a shocked gasp this time and he saw Alec tense up slightly. "I didn't know you were back in the city." Max spoke though Riley only half heard it as he watched Alec force himself to relax, he really wasn't acting like himself. None of his personalities that he rotated through seemed to fit.

"My mission was completed so I decided to come help sort things out here." Riley told her before stepping fully into the room and passed Alec. "Thanks Joshua."

Cindy cast him a suspicious look while Max just seemed curious about his mission, Logan was keeping a wary eye on him and Joshua just looked ready to start eating. Riley couldn't face turning around and looking at Alec. "So how about we all sit down?" Logan suggested. Joshua jumped into his seat and Original Cindy snorted in amusement before settling herself down next to him. Riley sat himself at one end of the table with Logan at the other. Max was on his left with Alec between her and Logan.

Original Cindy was still giving him suspicious looks throughout the first ten minutes of small talk and eating the macaroni and cheese and partly because of Alec's strange silence he gave up pretending he didn't notice.

"I think I owe you an apology for threatening you at Crash." Riley sighed.

"You threatened her at Crash?" Max tensed up.

Riley nodded uncaringly. "When you were all there before you were kidnapped by the steelheads." Riley told her.

"Which, if I remember correctly, you could have stopped." Original Cindy glared at him.

"That's a bit harsh." Max pointed out surprising Riley by coming to his defence.

"No." Riley countered. "She's right, I was acting like an idiot." Riley told them with a glance at Alec that nobody noticed including Alec who was simply picking at his food. "Either way I am sorry I threatened you." Riley finished meeting Original Cindy's gaze with his own rather emotionless one.

It took her a moment but she nodded briskly before turning back to her meal. "So what was this mission you mentioned?" A previously quiet Logan spoke up from opposite Riley.

"I got word from Lydecker." Riley paused as everyone at the table looked at him in horror, even Alec. He shrugged it off. "I found out that he sent me out after Zane and Seth because he wanted them to capture me."

"That doesn't sound logical." Logan spoke up.

"The directors wanted to experiment on me because of my differences. They wouldn't have been tests that I would have survived. Lydecker used the mission as a permanent way to get me out of there." Riley shrugged. "Anyway he told me that Tinga's kid was being held by some of White's men in the hope of luring other X-5s into a trap. Long story short, Case and Charlie are in Canada with some of the other '09 escapees."

Alec snapped his head up to look at him at the words. "Who?" Max asked.

"Zane and Seth again." Riley swallowed a lump in his throat but his next words came out in a pained voice. "And Sly and Krit." Alec met his gaze for the first time in that night and Riley saw the pain in his eyes just as he knew Alec saw his own pain.

Dinner went on in silence for a time before Joshua attempted to make small talk. "Nice," He stuttered, "Nice weather we're having." Riley glanced up and almost laughed.

"And not a lot of rain, which is unusual for this time of year." Logan came to his aid.

"Virus bitch going down. Max and Logan getting busy?" Joshua asked suddenly.

Logan chocked but laughed to cover it up and Joshua burst into loud laughs. Riley saw Alec tense up and new then that something was seriously wrong with him, something that wasn't to do with him like he had previously thought.

"Well, we…" Logan stammered out. "We're looking for a…we're hoping."

"No sex or politics at the table, boo." Original Cindy told Joshua coming to Logan's rescue. Riley just ate his food slowly staying out of the conversation. As far as he saw it Logan was still a weakness as long as Max was in love with him and even though he had the perfect cure for her within his own blood he wasn't planning to offer it. If he did then she'd only lose prospective. Riley did wonder why Alec hadn't mentioned it since he knew perfectly well that Riley's blood would kill off any virus like no other Transgenics blood did.

"Oh sorry, sorry." Joshua apologised.

"Anyway…we'll see what happens." Max told him.

"Hey Max. Could you pass the ketchup please?" Alec spoke up for the first time since his arrival.

"Oh you mean this _unique_ ketchup unlike any other?" Max teased and Riley nearly sent his cup skittering off of the table in shock.

Alec threw his fork down on his plate. "Why don't you lay off, huh?" He stood up and glanced at Riley. "I'm going to stretch my legs." He walked around the table and out of the room.

"Oh well done Max." Riley snapped, "How could you not notice he wasn't himself?"

"He's just annoyed that he lost his two girlfriends." Max countered.

"Don't be an idiot Max." Riley growled. "I haven't seen him for nearly a month and even I can see something is truly bothering him. I haven't seen him act like that in a long time."

Riley toyed with his food for a moment. "Mac and Cheese overdone?" Joshua asked into the silence.

"No, it's great." Logan assured him. "He's upset about something else."

"Upset?" Original Cindy spoke up with a sigh. "That boy's so spun his head's gonna fly off."

"When did this start?" Riley's voice was quiet but he had their attention very quickly.

"What?" Max asked.

"When did he start acting strange?" Riley specified.

"I suppose on one of our drop offs at work." Max frowned.

"Did the place have a name?" Riley asked.

"I don't know, the drop off was for R. Berrisford." Max told him.

"Berrisford?" Riley frowned and glanced at the door just as he heard the sound of a piano drifting up from the basement. He froze up as it all clicked in his mind. Alec's changed attitude after his deep cover assassination mission to take out a contractor by the name of Berrisford. "Oh dear." Riley frowned.

"What's that?" Max asked referring to the piano.

"Alec, a piano in the basement." Joshua told him.

"He's got skills." Original Cindy rose her eyebrows. The music was perfect Riley had to admit.

"Did you know he could play?" Logan asked Riley and Max.

"Who cares?" Max commented.

"He was taught for a mission." Riley told them.

"Can you play?" Logan asked.

"No." Riley told him. "I wasn't taught. Stay here please." Riley got up and made his way down to the basement knowing that Max and Joshua had ignored his request and had followed him. When they arrived it was to see that Alec had stopped playing and was staring down at the floor. Riley noticed something on the ground that wasn't covered in dust like everything else and scooped to pick it up not realising that Joshua had moved over to Alec and touched him on the shoulder before Riley could stop him.

Instantly Alec span up off of the chair and slammed Joshua into the wall by his throat. Instantly though he loosened his grip as he came out of whatever nightmare he was reliving. "Hey hey!" Max jumped in a bit on the late side.

Riley placed his hand on Alec's arm and guided it away from Joshua. Alec's eyes widened slightly as he pushed himself away from the hybrid. "Sorry man." Alec apologised.

"What the hell was that?" Max asked. Riley turned to her and glared at her until she and Joshua got the hint and left.

Riley turned to Alec. "I'm sorry I haven't been around."

"It's nothing." Alec told him.

"It's not nothing." Riley told him before grabbing Alec's hand and placing the locket he had picked up into his friends hand. "This is about Rachel isn't it, your mission that went sideways. What happened, Alec?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Alec snapped.

Riley grabbed Alec's arms to stop him from running. "You're in pain, Alec, I can see it in your eyes, in your mood." Riley countered. "Let me help you."

Riley surprised himself by pulling the still form of Alec against him and hugging him tightly. Alec returned the hug and rested his head on Riley's shoulder. "Sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. Just talk to me." Riley told him. "I've missed you."

"You've missed me?" Alec pulled away. Riley nodded. "You were so pissed off at me when you left."

"I was confused." Riley admitted. "I wasn't pissed off at you really."

Alec offered him a small smile. "I will talk to you but I can't right now. I need answers first."

"About Berrisford?" Riley asked.

Alec nodded. "They told me they were dead. I saw the car explode, but Berrisford is there."

"Do you want me to help?" Riley asked.

"It's ok Riley." Alec sighed. "I don't want to push you."

"I care about you Alec." Riley admitted. "More than I've cared about anyone."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Alec asked in surprise.

"Do you remember a mission in England? A family, two adults and a boy?" Riley asked before sitting on the chair and leaning his elbows on his knees.

"Uh…yeah." Alec told him. "Contractors to Manticore."

"They weren't contractors." Riley sighed. "Lydecker told me that they were my Aunt and her family. They sold me to Manticore because they hated me and because the others escaped in '09 they sent you to kill them so that they could keep control of me."

"Oh god." Alec gasped. "I killed your family?"

"They weren't my family, Alec." Riley assured him. "They sold me to Manticore when I was a baby."

"But I killed them!" Alec sagged onto the chair next to Riley.

"I don't blame you Alec, the only reason I mentioned it was because I need you to know that I still care about you and I always will." Riley told him.

"Care about me how?" Alec suddenly asked.

"I don't know." Riley admitted. "I care about you in a way we were never supposed to allow ourselves to care about someone."

Riley stood up in the shocked silence and made his way out of the basement and the house before heading back to his own place.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Logan's penthouse - The next day

Riley let himself in to the penthouse suite without permission like he normally did and followed the sounds of voices to Logan's office. Max was there as well and Riley hid the bag of files from her. Another man's stolen stash had come up with a few files that he thought 'Eyes-Only' could use but he didn't want Max to know he was helping Logan.

"Looks like Berrisford's company had several government contracts, including the CDC, but given the givens, can you guess who their biggest client probably was?" Riley heard Logan tell her.

"Gene splicing and Stem cells, sounds like Manticore to me." Max sighed.

"Certainly looks like their work." Logan said obviously referring to the assassination attempt against Berrisford.

"Think Alec was responsible?" Max asked.

"Alec wasn't responsible." Riley spoke up making even Max jump. "He might have done it but we were never responsible for what they made us do."

"But it was Alec?" Max countered.

"As far as I know." Riley sighed. "Berrisford was gathering different contractors and trying to take down Manticore. Alec was sent to infiltrate and possibly kill Berrisford while I was sent to destroy Zenetec's mainframe."

"Zenetec's mainframe?" Logan frowned before clicking on his computer screen and bringing up an alternative page he had been looking at. The headline read, 'Infiltrator bypasses the impenetrable.' "They never did work out who the infiltrator got through their security."

"Oh, they did." Riley told him. "They just didn't want to risk their lives by publishing it to the press."

"What happened?" Max frowned.

"You remember my ability to make my body take on the appearance of death?" Riley asked and got a nod in return. "I was delivered there as a corpse and then destroyed the mainframe. It was a scare tactic to show Berrisford and his accomplices what Manticore was capable of."

"But Berrisford wasn't attacked until almost two weeks later." Logan pointed out.

"He didn't take the threat well and tried to leave the country to avoid Manticore. Alec was already inside at the time and took him out." Riley frowned.

"So Alec failed and now Berrisford is out to get him?" Max asked.

"I don't know, more likely he wants revenge on Alec for killing Rachel Berrisford." Riley sighed. "The problem is he couldn't possibly do anything worse than what Alec is already doing to himself."

"What do you mean?" Logan asked. Riley shook his head to show he wasn't going to tell them anything further. Alec's personal emotions weren't for him to share with others. "Ok, so what is Alec trained to do in this situation?"

"If Berrisford's still alive and out for his life?" Riley sighed glancing at Max.

"Take him out first." Max sighed. They'd had that driven into them from the moment they were old enough to train.

"Except Alec won't deal with this normally." Riley decided to tell them in order to help Alec out as much as possible. "Something went seriously wrong on that mission, it got to him. He spent a long time in psyops and isolation and wasn't a pleasant sight once they finished with him. Whatever happened is still effecting him."

"Well I'm going to go stop him from doing more damage." Max told them both before turning to the door.

"Wait. I'm going too." Riley surprised them both. "And Max, promise me something, once he's safe you'll leave him to me."

Max obviously had to think about it for a moment, probably because she wanted to kick some sense into him rather than let him off the hook but Riley's eyes told him that he knew still more about the failed mission and she eventually agreed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley and Max took separate bikes to Berrisford's house since Riley didn't know where it was and if Alec had walked there they wouldn't be able to all drive back. Riley used his federal pass to go through the sector pass on the way just as easily as Max used her own Jam Pony pass.

When they arrived at the house the front gate was closed. Riley stopped his bike and took a lot down the driveway ignoring the fact that it was night time and that the door would be impossible to see for a human. His eyes zoomed in and saw that the front door had been broken open and glanced at Max to see that she had seen the same thing. They both bunched their muscles and using the pillars that held up the gate they vaulted the five metre high gate as if it was a small picket fence around a flower bed.

They ran up the driveway keeping to the shadows and in through the front door. Riley spread out his senses, there was a human in the back of the house on the ground floor and then another human upstairs at the front of the house and another near the back. In the end it was the two unconscious FBI agents on the stairs that decided it and after whispering to Max his findings they ran up the stairs and down the corridors in silence.

They heard voices before they reached it and were both shocked that it was Alec's voice that they heard first. Even under interrogation transgenics were taught to be quiet and more than that they were trained to be cooperative yet useless as informants until their captors got complacent.

"What are you waiting for? I deserve it. Kill me!" Riley almost flinched at Alec's words and probably would have done if Alec's life didn't rest in the balance. "Do it!"

Riley darted into the room and in one move he had the gun out of the captor's hands and empty of clip and chambered bullet even as Max knocked the man unconscious. Riley just stared down at who he presumed was Berrisford as Max un-cuffed Alec from the chair. "What are you doing here?" Alec chocked out.

"Saving your arse. I told you to ask for my help before it was too late and you messed things up." Max snapped at him.

"And Max. I told you to leave me alone." Alec looked at Berrisford regretfully before stepping over him and leaving the room.

Riley sighed and looked at Max. "He didn't mess up, this is what he wanted. To pay for what he did."

"You can't be serious!" Max frowned.

"We were in there for ten years longer than you. We're all emotionally damaged. I realised how bad we are when I met the others last week." Riley sighed before leading her out of the room. "Me and Alec are as different to you mentally as we are different to the humans physically."

"What do you mean?" Max frowned.

Riley span on her and forced her to stop. He grabbed her shoulders and brought his face up to her's so that their eyes were only an inch apart and made sure she could see the emotions in his eyes. Confusion, self-hate, regret but most importantly the state of mind that allowed him to kill without emotion. It was a look that only he, Alec and the others that had recently escaped held in their eyes but always hid even from their instructors. "You are a woman with a soldiers history. We are killers trying to make our way and failing one step at a time. This might be your world Max and you might even be able to fit in but Alec and I don't belong here and it won't be long until they know that."

"I don't understand." Max told him and he could see that she was near tears.

"Alec made a single mistake on his mission. He fell in love with Berrisford's daughter and couldn't kill her." Riley told her. "Alec is lucky because of it, he has already made that decision but there are others like me that haven't been faced with it yet or are facing it as we speak. Alec did the noble thing and tried to save her but there are some of us that won't be able to do that."

She looked down at the ground unable to take the sight of his eyes any longer but Riley continued relentlessly. "You did free us Max and all of the Transgenics are going to need you to help them settle in. It wont be easy but it will shock everything you have lived for."

"What about you?" Max asked. "You're in love with someone aren't you? I can see the pain in your eyes."

Riley sighed but nodded slowly. "He knows but there is little we can do." Riley told her. "I come from a different world then him and that world is going to want me back to use as a weapon."

"That's the same as everyone though. I love Logan and we come from different worlds too." Max told him not seeming to care that the person he loved was a he. "Why can't you do that too?"

"Logan will die if you touch him, Max. That's a perfect example of why not." Riley snapped. "But that isn't the reason behind it."

"Manticore isn't going to use you as a weapon anymore, Riley." Max tried to assure him and Riley snapped his head up to meet hers.

"They aren't the other world I was talking about." Riley whispered before entering the room that Alec was kneeling in. Rachel's room. Max gasped slightly but she kept her distance.

They watched as Alec pressed the locket into her hand and Riley nodded to Max as she backed out of the room with a warning look to Riley to tell him that their conversation wasn't over. Riley leant against the wall beside the window and closed his eyes to give Alec some privacy yet he still had trouble ignoring Alec's sobs and after only five minutes he pushed himself away and knelt at Alec's side and drew him into his side in a loose hug.

"Come on Alec." Riley said. "It's time to go."

"She'll die hating me." Alec told him as he let Riley pull himself to his feet.

"Because she doesn't know the true you, she doesn't know the guy kneeling at her side in tears because he hurt her." Riley whispered. "She cared for you as much as you cared for her. I can tell that just by looking at her. Sometimes we can't stop from losing those we care for."

Alec's head sagged forwards in defeat. "I don't know if I can love anyone else anymore, Riley."

"I know and I don't care." Riley told him with a smile.

"But you love me?" Alec surprised Riley knowing that he hadn't been that decisive earlier.

"I suppose I am going through what you went though with Rachel." Riley sighed. "Come on, before Berrisford wakes up. I don't think I could take you letting yourself get killed no matter how much you want it."

"Sorry." Alec shuddered slightly as Riley led him down the corridor.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. If you died and it was even remotely my fault I'd completely lose it. You'd probably be safe to say your farewells to Seattle." Riley told him seriously. They both pictured the time when Riley had lost it at the instructors and killed two of them and that was only over the use of his name. Alec shuddered to think what Riley would do if someone he cared for was killed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next day

Riley had awoken to a normal Alec, or at least he was acting normal, there was still pain in his eyes but to the world Alec would act normally. It was Alec's way of dealing and Riley wondered how Max would take the change in attitude but then shrugged it off. He'd promised Alec that he'd be there that evening but he planned on going to Terminal city and try to find other transgenics so that if he started sweeping the city for them he had somewhere to send them.

He didn't actually plan on speaking to them since he didn't know what sort of action they would take against him but he hoped to spot them at the very least though he knew that they would be hard to find even in a human no-go area like the toxic Terminal city.

Riley walked rather than biked to the edges of terminal city before he made his way through the wire fence. According to Logan some humans had used to live within the area but they had quickly left after strange sights like hybrids had been spotted. The police had heard about it but had ignored it completely as drunken ravings. Riley spent twenty minutes walking calmly around the streets of Terminal City and was about to give up when he felt a flicker of movement on his senses.

He'd pushed his senses to the back of his mind knowing that in a city of people he'd have trouble telling them apart from the transgenics and he didn't want to rely on his findings since the X5s were immune anyway. This however was much closer and was trying to keep itself hidden. Whether it was human or transgenic they always felt the same to him unless they were trying to hid in which case they showed up clearer. It was a strange twist to his 'magic' but it was useful since if somebody was hiding from him in a crowd he was warned regardless of the number of people in close proximity.

By the time he tried to find out where the being was it had dulled back into the city of bodies. He spread out his senses and concentrated on the closer area even though that mean that he was blind to the real world and any nearby X5s. There were thirty or so beings in Terminal city, and the five closest were heading away from him rapidly. The question is were they running from him or was it coincidence?

Riley heard the smallest of breaths from behind him and dove to the side even as a pipe went clattering to the floor in front of him. "Shit!" Riley swore, they'd recognised him and sent the others running knowing that an ambush would only work with X5s. He flipped himself back onto his feet and turned to face a single person on the street. His senses told him nobody was there which mean that it was a member of his own class.

"862." He greeted him.

"529." Riley spoke emotionlessly.

"What are you doing here?" 529 asked him but the question wasn't important and Riley leant backwards to dodge the punch thrown from another X5 that had snuck up to his side. He spun in the air and used the transgenic's surprise to throw him into a nearby wall before twisting his grip on the girls arm to the point of almost snapping the wrist.

"Trying to find you actually." Riley snapped before letting go of his captive to avoid the attacks of two more that had come up behind him. He was about to knock one out when 529 appeared at his side and pressed a gun against the back of Riley's neck. "Are you going to kill me, 529?"

"Not as long as you don't try anything." 529 growled out before Riley's vision went black as a blow powerful enough to kill a tiger sent him into unconsciousness.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Later

Riley woke up but he didn't open his eyes as he listened to what his senses were telling him. He was in a room with quite a few people though there was probably more since he knew the X5s wouldn't have left him alone without at least one of them to watch him. He turned his attention to his own body and took into account that he was tied up by his wrists above his head and slightly out to the sides. His feet were also tied together though they weren't tied to anything else.

Take the advantage he forced his arms to take his weight making sure the movement was invisible to anyone watching him and then without any clue to his awakening his kicked up his legs and used his own ties to catch his nearest visible guard around the neck. The poor transgenic found himself falling backwards onto his knees with a tight pressure around his neck so that if he moved he'd get himself killed. Riley opened his eyes to find that he had no fewer than ten assorted weapons pointing at him.

He was right in that the room held more people then he had sensed. Almost a quarter of the twenty in the room were X5s. One was standing only three foot from Riley. Riley looked around them making sure to keep the pressure up on his captives neck. He met the eyes of the 529 again who had been the one standing closest to him.

"You know this could get really old really fast." Riley sighed before allowing himself the briefest of glances at his captive. An X6 no older than fourteen but he had been holding a gun and standing guard over him so he was a target as far as he was concerned.

"Let him go." 529 ordered.

"Let me go." Riley countered.

"Not going to happen." 529 pointed out.

"Same here then. Do you still go by 529?" Riley asked genuinely curious.

"Peter." 529, or Peter, told him.

"Riley." Riley introduced himself.

"You're letting people use that then?" Peter asked him.

"Yeah, why not." Riley would have shrugged if his arms weren't holding up his weight. "Why did you ambush me?"

"Why were you snooping around Terminal City?" Peter countered.

"This is going to get old." Riley muttered. "I was looking for you all."

"We got that but why are you handing us over to White?" Peter growled out, a look of annoyance spreading across his face.

"I'm not working for White!" Riley snapped and his captive winced as his ties cut into his neck. Riley sighed before releasing his captive and letting him crawl away. He put his weight back on his legs. "I never was. To start with I was working for my handler to capture two of the escapees but after I realised what happened to Manticore and that my orders were coming from White I killed my handler and then gave myself my missions."

"But you still worked with White." An X6 snarled at him.

"Only to keep an eye on him. He was our biggest threat and I was in a perfect position to help." Riley snapped. "I saved several of you since then."

"And we only have your word on that." Peter told him.

"So what do you plan on doing with me?" Riley asked. "I'll escape eventually."

"We can't let that happen, you'll lead White to us eventually." Pete told him.

"White thinks I am dead." Riley told him.

"We can't trust you." Peter sighed before nodding to two X5s lurking behind Riley. Riley braced himself, the only way to make sure he didn't have the strength was to keep him tired or starved. Since he was only just in captivity the only way was to beat him a bit.

"You've seen what I can do, Peter. When I get free you're going to have a headache I promise you." Riley glared before accepting the first punch to his side that sent all of his weight onto his wrists.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Logan's penthouse **- a day later - evening**

Alec took a leaf out of Riley's book in his haste and simply broke into Logan's penthouse just like he had a dozen times before starting from when he had followed Max right to 'Eyes-Only' when he had been ordered to bring her back after planting the virus to kill him. He winced as he remembered it and only hoped that after Riley decided that it was worth keeping Logan around for good that Max would truly forgive him.

In the mean time though he'd have to make do with being treated like an idiot every time he met her. "Hey Logan, you got Max hear with you?" Alec called out into the silent apartment wishing that he had Riley's ability to sense where everybody was at any given time.

"Hey, Alec, are you feeling better?" Logan asked as he wheeled himself around the corner, obviously having taken off his techno-legs.

Alec gritted his teeth at the pity and concern lacing his voice but knew that the man was actually worried about him. Still he only felt comfortable having Riley concerned about him. He didn't want pity from anyone else, nobody but Riley could truly stop the pain that had haunted him ever since that bomb had, as far as he had known, killed Rachel. Only around Riley did he feel truly happy and that he didn't need to put up the mask he always wore. "I'm always fine." Alec told him with a grin though he squelched it as soon as Max rounded the corner.

"Did you need Logan or me?" Max asked, not being rude for the first time. Obviously she too was worried about him.

"You actually." Alec told her. "Riley's missing."

"What?" Max frowned.

"Riley is missing." Alec said slowly. "He promised to meet me back at my place yesterday after I finished at work and he hasn't shown since or left me a message."

"So, maybe he ditched you?" Max suggested though even she didn't seem convinced.

"Riley wouldn't do that." Alec protested before mumbling on. "Especially not today."

"So any idea where he's gone?" Logan asked.

"He said he was going to spend the day trying to find out where White is hiding and then go to Terminal City to see if he couldn't meet up with some of the others." Alec sighed. "That's what's got me worried. He wasn't sure how they'd react to him."

"I'm sure he can handle himself." Max told Alec.

"Not if they think he's working for White still and all go after him. He's good but not that good and he won't want to hurt any of them which puts him at a disadvantage since they wont have the same problem." Alec told her pointedly. "I'm worried about him. Please Max, just help me out this one time."

Max sighed. "Ok, we'll ditch tomorrow and go scout out Terminal City."

"Why tomorrow?" Alec frowned.

"Because one day isn't going to make a difference and I'd rather scout the place in daylight when they wont be able to hide as easily." Max told him. Alec sighed knowing that she was right, they had the best chance of finding the others in the daylight. He still didn't like it though.

__

'Don't worry, Riley. I'm coming for you.'

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	11. Telecoercion

Twisted Experimentation

****

Warning Warning Warning

A/N; If anyone complains that I didn't say this then I'll be annoyed. **There is an NC-17 slash scene in this chapter.** I've marked it out with a warning just previous and it isn't important to the overall story. If you don't want to read it, or are not over 17 then just skip it and go on. I felt like writing it in so it is there.

Chapter 11; Telecoercion.

It had been four days since Riley had last seen Alec and he'd been chained up ever since he had been captured three days ago. He felt hungry but that wasn't a real concern since he had gone without food and water for a lot longer then that. One of the transgenics had snuck him some water having obviously heard about him from one of the transgenics he'd helped out in the past but nobody would risk trying to help him escape.

He'd weakened the ties around his wrists as much as he could without them becoming noticeable but he knew it would take him several long seconds to break them violently and then a further few seconds to rid himself of his ankle ties. In those few seconds the transgenics around him could kill him several times. Most of the day he simply watched everything that happened in the warehouse he was trapped in but apart from a few newcomers nothing much happened.

If only they were humans and had tied him up somewhere private so that he could slip out without being noticed. No, they were too well trained to make serious mistakes, their only mistake so far was expecting him to try to escape as soon as possible. He was patient if nothing else, his special abilities would keep him stronger and healthier longer than they would expect and they'd eventually underestimate him.

In the end his chance came when a group of X-6s led two familiar X-5s into the warehouse. Both Max and Alec looked pissed off by the fact they were being held hostage but after a brief moments thought it was clear to Riley that they had chosen to be captured to get into the building and find him. Riley felt a smile crack at his dried lips as he felt happiness well up inside him. Alec had come for him, hell, he was even pleased that Max had come for him.

Four days wasn't really a long time to be imprisoned but with no food and hourly beatings, meaning no sleep, Riley was rather weak. Not too weak though to take advantage of the distracted guards around him. Before Alec and Max noticed him he made his move. His two X5 guards foolishly had their backs to him as they watched the two newcomers all the while hiding Riley from view in case the newcomers had come to try to rescue him.

Their mistake was that they were blocking everybody else's view of him. He kicked his feet out and flipped over backwards. He felt a sharp, and very painful, jab to both of his wrists as plastic battled with bone, flesh and skin. The skin gave way but the flesh and bone won the battle and his ties snapped.

Riley landed back on his feet silently but the small cracking sounds of the plastic ties were enough to alert his guards who tensed and began to turn. Riley was faster though and both were knocked out and lowered silently to the ground without anybody in the room noticing.

He didn't waste any more time before snapping his ankle tie and after jumping vertically he boosted himself on the top of the wooden A-frame that he had been attached to and from there he landed on the second floor walkway that circled the room. He could have found a window right then and there and escaped but he had business with Pete before he left. Knowing exactly where the transgenic spent most of his day he snuck around the platform all the time watching Alec and Max argue with the others about what they were thinking in capturing Riley without any of them bothering to look over at him. Eventually though, Riley knew that Alec would lose his patience and succumb to his concern over Riley's health and that would draw everybody's attention to the fact that he had escaped.

Twenty seconds later Alec did just that, he tried to push passed the others to find Riley but only came up short when he, and everybody else in the room, saw the empty A-frame and the two unconscious guards. Alec let out a sharp bark of amusement before starting to sweep the room with his eyes. Riley ducked into the shadows beside the room's door that he wanted to enter and simply waited for their predictable reaction to work in his favour.

Just as he guessed one of the X-6s yelled out for Pete and the door beside Riley slammed open. In an instant Riley was moving. He grabbed the passing transgenic by the throat as he ran passed him to the railing and held him tightly. Pete tensed up even as everyone below was watching him in confusion waiting for him to say something since they couldn't see Riley behind their leader.

"I told you you'd get a headache when I escaped." Riley sneered quietly. He wasn't bothering to hold him properly since Pete knew perfectly well that he'd never get a hit in before Riley sent him tumbling down on the ground below and possible onto his head. "Maybe the fact that I don't kill you will prove what I've been saying. Or maybe you'll listen to Max since it was her that freed us all in the first place."

"Pete!" One of the other X-5s yelled up. "What's the matter?"

Riley stepped sideways slightly and there was a mass of noise as suddenly every gun in the room was on him. He smirked at them. "Maybe I should get payback for all of those beating sessions?" Riley asked in a low voice but he knew it travelled across the room. "Alec, don't kill any of them, they're just idiots."

Before anybody could work out what he meant, Riley grabbed the pistol from Pete's pocket and fired four times. The lights died as the first found the electrical junction box, two barrels of petrol then exploded as well as the window nearest to him, all before anybody else could react. The room was filled with flickering electrical lights and the spreading glow of fire. Riley spun Pete to face him before punching him straight in the face. He threw him against the wall were he righted himself instantly as soon as Riley let go.

"Damn it! I'm a friend!" Riley snapped like he had wanted to in the alley before all of this had started. Pete lurched for him and Riley copied the movement except as they were about to meet, Riley changed angle and dodged the oncoming kick before delivering a punched into one of Pete's kidneys as he passed by. Pete fell to the floor in pain unable to fight any longer and Riley span on the spot and leapt up to the smashed window and out into the night air. He let himself fall from the building down onto the roof of the next building and then sprinted away into the darkness towards his motorbike. If it was still there.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley was well aware that he was driving to Alec's apartment and not his own but it wasn't by his own conscious choice. He'd started driving and his route began to lead him to where Alec would be simply because he was exhausted, hungry and bruised to a ridiculous degree.

He hoped that Alec had realised that he had been captured before he had been due to show at Alec's apartment and that Riley hadn't deserted him when Alec had needed him the most. An unpleasant sensation deep in his chest grew because of this worry and it got steadily worse with each passing moment.

He waited outside the door of the apartment for almost five minutes trying to get up the courage to walk through it. He took to studying the door, the evidence of the numerous break-ins were as clear as the door itself. Riley knew though that Alec had numerous locks on the inside of the door. He knocked lightly and heard a thump from the inside before the door opened a touch. Alec's face appeared in the door for an instant before his eyes widened and the door flew open and Riley was pulled in rather unceremoniously and crushed in a tight hug. Alec had obviously been in bed, it being four in the morning, but he hadn't been asleep. Riley recognised the signs from his glance of his friend's face.

Riley drew his own arms around Alec's boxer clad form and hugged him back properly for a second before drawing back reluctantly. Riley closed the door before following a silent Alec further into the apartment. "Jesus, Riley, I thought somebody had killed you!" Alec finally cried out.

He sounded so helpless that Riley couldn't help but smile. "Glad to know you care."

Alec's eyes narrowed at the out of character deadness to Riley's tone. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, you know. The usual." Riley told him. "In Manticore at least."

Alec frowned and looked him over taking in the looseness to his muscles that was so strange in a transgenic, the way Riley favoured his right leg slightly as he stood there and the slight trembling in his hands. "Get on the bed so I can have a look at you."

It was evidence of how tired Riley was that he didn't argue and simply pulled his rather ragged shirt and trousers off and collapsed in a heap on the bed. Alec sat beside him instantly and ran a hand over Riley's chest checking for damage beneath the surface. After a few minutes Riley spoke up.

"I knew you'd come for me." Riley told him with a small smile though he barely opened his eyes.

"Of course I would!" Alec's voice cracked slightly.

Riley opened his eyes fully and forced himself up onto his elbows. "Not very Manticorian of you." He teased.

"Nor is running off to save the nephew." Alec retorted. What happened next shocked Riley into complete inaction. He'd never been surprised into inaction before but when Alec's lips met his own he could do nothing but lie there prone until Alec pulled back. "Sorry."

Riley just watched him for a few seconds and Alec began to fidget nervously. "I'll just go sleep on the couch and leave you to get some rest." Alec made to stand but Riley was quicker. He reach out with a hand and pulled on Alec's supporting arm making the other transgenic fall next to him. Riley turned to the side slightly and kissed a surprised Alec. This time it was mutual and Riley's hand came to rest on Alec's side as he traced small circles on the warm skin.

When they pulled back Riley lay down on his back. Alec propped himself up. "Are you ok, Riley?"

"Just tired." Riley admitted. Even with his new found happiness at having his feelings returned he was still having to keep himself awake. "Can we deal with this tomorrow?"

"Sure, why don't you meet me at Jam Pony's for lunch?" Alec asked as he lay down on his side and draped a hand around Riley's stomach. "Max was really worried about you."

"I'll meet you." Riley paused. "That's nice of her."

"You almost sound like you forgive her." Alec pointed out.

"Almost." Riley admitted before dropping into sleep without a moments pause.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley awoke at mid-morning with the thought that he'd obviously been worse off then he had originally thought if he'd slept through Alec getting up and going to work. Riley showered and changed into one of the two sets of clothing that he always left here before going to leave. It would be lunch soon and he planned on meeting Alec at Jam Pony's as requested. Glancing at the kitchen counter on the way out here saw a small bottle sitting on a scrap of paper. The paper read 'Riley's' and the bottle was labelled 'Tryptophan.' He pocketed it making a mental note to thank Alec for it.

Riley had had a bottle of the anti-seizure medication but he'd had it on him when he was ambushed by the other transgenics and they'd taken it from him. Obviously Alec had realised this and given him one of his own stash of which Riley knew that Alec had at least a dozen bottles.

The ride through the city to the base of Jam Pony's was rather short and he pulled into the wide alley filled with bicycles that dodged him as he drove through them before shutting off the bike and taking out the keys. "Hey!" He called to one of the messengers about to leave. He did a double take as he recognised her face and his sudden realisation was proven when she tensed and got ready to do a runner. "Chill! Is Alec in there?"

She relaxed ever so slightly but nodded all the same before slowly backing away from him until she was far enough away to cycle off without having to worry about being attacked from behind. Riley sighed before getting off of the bike and walking down the ramp into the bottom floor of the building. He paused to look around. People were constantly passing him and he studied each of their faces and postures to see if he recognised any of them. His memory told him that he had seen several of them in his visits to Crash but his senses could detect all of them which meant none of them were X-5s and their postures were too human to be anything but just that. Unable to see or hear Alec anywhere in the vicinity he walked up to the counter where a man stood with headphones on. He was talking through them to somebody on the other end and he glanced up at Riley, took in his age and instantly looked back at his clipboard as he continued his conversation.

Riley rolled his eyes, even with the black roll neck and blue jeans he was wearing he didn't look like a normal kid that would be a messenger. He waited for another moment and when the man hung up and went to dial a number, Riley asked him where Alec was.

"Look, I don't need more hooligans around here looking for jobs. Just go find something else to waste your day with." The man told him.

Riley's eyes rose up his forehead and he decided just to do this the easy way. He pulled out his wallet from his jeans pocket and flipped it open and then closed again so that only the man saw the Federal ID hidden there. "Alec…Is where?" Riley asked as if speaking to deaf man.

"Um…he's up in the seating area. It's just around the corner, do you need me to take you there, Sir. Really I don't mind." Riley almost laughed at the man's change of attitude. Alec had been right, his boss was one for authority figures. He settled on shaking his head.

"I wasn't here." Riley told him before turning away.

"Yes Sir. I never saw you sir." Riley did grin this time but only because the man could no longer see his face.

Riley walked through the room and down a short corridor. On the right were lockers and on the left was a short set of stairs that led to a slightly raised area with a sign proclaiming it as a 'No Bike' zone. It was surrounded by a railing and was filled with small tables and chairs. Riley climbed the stairs and his hearing instantly picked through the people there searching for the one he knew the best. His body found it easily and his eyes followed the direction to a table under the TV where Alec sat facing him, along with Max, Original Cindy and Sketchy.

Alec saw him as he approached and he stood up and came around the table. The other three craned their necks to face him and were equally shocked when Alec grabbed him and pecked him on the lips. Silence rippled through the room before Max spoiled it by snorting in amusement.

One of the men on the other side of the room yelled out in amusement and Riley cast a dangerous glare across the room which instantly had everyone turning back to their own groups and conversations spread through the room again though Riley had no problem picking out that they were all about Alec and himself.

Alec led him by his hand back to his side of the table and Riley settled himself into the one empty seat around the table between Alec and Original Cindy. "I think you just broke the heart of every girl in here." Sketchy pointed out.

"Almost all of them." Max put in with a glare at Sketchy.

"You managed to find us alright?" Alec turned to Riley.

Riley shrugged. "Ran into an old friend outside who seemed rather concerned to see me and she told me you were here, then it just took waving my wallet at the man behind the desk to get him to tell me where you were."

"You bribed Normal?" Original Cindy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Riley glanced at her and spoke bluntly. "No."

"You didn't!" Alec asked before shaking his head and offering Riley his plate of fries to share.

"It was fun." Riley shrugged.

"What did you do?" Max asked sceptically probably imagining Riley beating the information out of her boss.

"Showed him my ID." Riley shrugged again and she groaned.

"I don't understand." Sketchy sighed but didn't seem to be expecting a reply.

"How are you feeling?" Max asked ignoring the guy.

"A bit sore." Riley admitted seeing the genuine concern in her expression.

"Why, what happened to you?" Original Cindy asked.

"Ran into some old friends from where I grew up." Riley shrugged knowing she'd make use of the clue. "They weren't too pleased to see me."

"What did they do?" Sketchy asked.

"Beat me up and help me captive for four days." Riley shrugged knowing that he'd be imagining some dark cell somewhere while Original Cindy would be imagining a fast paced intense battle of superhuman transgenics. As far as Riley was concerned they could fill in the gaps however they liked.

"What are you doing this afternoon?" Alec asked.

"I'm going to try to find our older aged friend again. I found him but I doubt he's still in the same place after four days." Riley told them. This time only Max and Alec knew what he was talking about though he was sure that Original Cindy would understand once Max told her that their 'older aged friend' was Ames White.

"Are you sure you should be doing that right now?" Alec asked worryingly.

"Better today then tomorrow when the trail will be even colder." Riley told him catching his eye to show that he would be able to handle himself.

"Why do I always end up losing these arguments?" Alec asked before backing down. "Just make sure you're back at my apartment later or at least send me a message if you get captured this time and let me know where I've got to go to save your sorry arse."

"Funny, Alec, real funny." Riley sighed before stealing one last chip. "I'll see you later. I've got a lead on one of the men I want to watch and I know where he always buys his lunch."

Alec nodded before leaning over and kissing Riley deeply on the lips. They only broke apart when the cat-calling grew in volume to the point that Normal was yelling from across the building for quiet. "See ya later." Alec whispered before settling back into his chair.

Riley blinked a few times, caught Max's amused grin and left the room glaring at anyone that tried to tease him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Alec's apartment - that night

Riley walked into Alec's home and instantly heard Alec swearing from the other room. Riley walked through the kitchen-living room and into the bedroom to find Alec throwing clothes rather unceremoniously across the room as he searched through his wardrobe. He wasn't wearing a shirt and Riley assumed from that, that Alec was looking for a certain shirt.

Riley leaned against the door and decided to just watch the spectacle and drink in the sight of his friend - boyfriend. _Was he his boyfriend now or had they just entered some strange new reality where kissing was a normal interaction._

Either way, watching Alec acting so unlike any Manticorian brought a smile to Riley's lips and it wasn't until the fifth nasty phrase was spouted from Alec that Riley scrapped his foot across the carpet. Alec bolted around and into a defensive stance but Riley didn't move from his place leaning against the door frame.

"I must say I preferred this room in it's semi-tidy state." Riley muttered with a glance around the room as Alec went red. "What're you doing?"

"Looking for a shirt." Alec told him with a sheepish look.

"Like that one, or that one, or…" Riley said pointing at any number of t-shirts and shirts all around the floor.

"A particular one." Alec cut him off before he could continue pointing out shirts.

"Any particular reason?" Riley asked. "Were you trying to impress somebody?"

Riley had thought that he had covered the concern in his question with an uncaring tone of voice but he had evidently failed. "I was trying to impress you." Alec told him taking a few steps to close the gap between them.

Riley looked up at him in confusion. "I'm used to seeing you in tactical uniform or scrubs. A particular shirt isn't going to make me like you any more than I already do." Riley around the room again. "Why were you trying to impress me?"

"Um…I wanted to…" Alec stuttered crossing his arms over his naked chest as if only just realising that he was half naked in front of Riley. "It's just…I don't know! I just wanted to."

Riley chuckled and finally pushed himself off of the doorframe and took the last step to close the gap between them. He took hold of Alec's forearms and gently pushed them down and to the sides before taking both of his hands in his own. "That's sweet. But you know, I rather like you like this."

Alec flashed him a rather mischievous smirk before letting go of Riley's hands and lifting Riley's roll neck up slightly at the hem to place his hand on Riley's abs. "I think you better remind me what you look like without a shirt on, I don't think I remember."

Riley gave him a dry look. "It was just last night, Alec." Alec, instead of being put off by this just grinned and pulled Riley's top over his head. Riley half felt like opposing the movement but he couldn't really say that he didn't wanted to. Alec dropped the top to the side and started to rub his hands around Riley's exposed skin.

Riley half shut his eyes immersing himself in a kind of touch that he had never felt before. A loving touch. The night would prove to be interesting.

****

(NC-17 Slash, skip to next message if you don't want to read it.)

Riley made the first proper move as his own hands, that had been running across Alec's own chest came to settle on the belt around Alec's waist. He paused for a moment and opened his eyes to look at a flushed Alec before leaning in to kiss him. Riley kissed his way down Alec's chin and onto his neck and drew Alec closer to him with the hand on his belt. Alec's arms slipped around to Riley's back and began running up and down it. Riley slowly undid the belt and pulled it off before fumbling with the button and zipper.

Alec stepped out of the jeans and Riley took off his own. They shared a moment of silence as Riley stepped back and flipped off the lights plunging the room into darkness though it was only so they could sleep afterwards. Neither of them needed to try hard to see in the dark. Fumbling hands ranged over their bodies touching everything above the waistline until Alec made the first move and slid his hand inside Riley's boxers and gripped the hardened flesh there. Riley tilted up his head and Alec kissed his throat lightly. Riley slid his own hands to Alec's boxers and pushed them down passed his hips letting them slid to the floor as he took Alec's member in his own hand.

Riley struggled out of his own boxers and pushed both of them back onto the bed landing on his side against Alec. Alec's hand wound under his head and down onto his back. "Maybe we should just take this easy tonight." Riley suggested before deciding to just be honest. "I think I'm close to a seizure with all that torture and I don't want to push it any."

Alec smiled up at him. "Let's just take this slowly. I've only done this sort of thing once before. After I escaped."

Riley was drawing figures of eight into Riley's chest as he spoke. "I thought Manticore had to resort to breeding, I thought you would have had to take part."

"I was supposed to but it was just a ploy." Alec sighed. "They set me up with Max so that I could earn her trust while we worked to escape. Then I had to follow her out here to make sure she put the virus on him. Before I could get back she'd forced them to burn it all down."

Riley kissed Alec's left nipple and bit it ever so slightly. "Let's just enjoy tonight then and face the real world another day."

"Sounds good to me." Alec told him before pulled Riley on top of him. Riley took his own weight on his left arm and knees before reaching down to grip Alec's manhood tightly. Alec gasped and retaliated by doing the same to Riley who leaned down to capture Alec's lips with his own. Tongues battles and their hands slid back and forwards teasing their members with slow languid motions. Riley let the pleasure ripple through him one stoke at a time, savouring each moment as a first.

Minutes passed with only the sounds of gasps and their kisses to break the silence until Alec groaned out in pleasure and his grasp tightened around Riley's manhood. Alec bucked up against Alec and his cum splattered across their naked bodies. He took a few moments but soon he was stroking Riley's member faster and with more enthusiasm then before. Riley kissed Alec with all of his strength feeling his own orgasm mounting and let the waves of pleasure wrack through his body as his own cum mixed with Alec's between them as he collapsed to the side panting. Riley laid his head on Alec's shoulder with a warm sigh before reaching behind him for one of Alec's less than nice t-shirt.

Alec made to protest the harsh use of his shirt as Riley mopped up their messes but Riley just smiled up at him warmly before pulling the duvet up over them both and snuggling up to Alec.

****

(Scene finished)

"You know, Alec, you're the only thing out here worth living for."

"I feel the same way about you."

"When they come for me…" Riley paused knowing that he hadn't told Alec about everything that Lydecker had told him about 'magic' but settled on just being vague. "Lydecker said that the people I was born to might come looking for me. To take me back. When they come for me will you help me?"

"Of course I'll help you, Riley. I wont let you go now that we have each other." Alec said rather uncharacteristically. Riley kissed him on the lips one last time before settling down to sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Three weeks later

Riley swung around the corner towards Jam Pony to meet Alec for lunch again. It had become a habit of his, something normal that they could do together. Their relationship had grown and it was the talk of the messenger service that Alec was dating a Federal Agent, something that had not only annoyed Max but made Normal love Alec all the more since he'd already been enamoured with Alec because of his boxing days.

He'd spent the weeks since his capture quietly for the most part, staying out of trouble as much as possible while keeping an eye on White which took up most of his day but it gave him the isolation that he needed so much. He kept in touch with Logan who kept him up to date on any news about Transgenics and sometimes went after evidence against people he was trying to bring to justice but only if he could get something out of it. He'd been called to help out Max and Alec a few times as well though.

He'd gotten a call from Alec two days after they had gotten together when they had found, and been captured by, a Gossamer that had been hunting people with Kevlar fillings in their mouths. It had been easy for Riley to deal with after arriving since he'd been involved in the Gossamer's training and knew how to control them. Once he arrived it was a case of whistling a particular tone to gets its attention and then commanding it to stand down and the crisis was over. He'd taught the scrap yard owner to whistle in the same way so that he too could keep the creature under control before leaving with Alec to clean him off from the Gossamer's web.

Two weeks ago a more serious situation had occurred when Max had gotten herself shot whilst trying to save a kid. Riley had refused to run in and try to break her out of the CDC lockdown over the hospital on the grounds that the place was being monitored by White and his men. In the end she'd been able to escape under her own power and even do some rather satisfying damage to White on the way.

Logan and Max still weren't really talking to him about that episode but Alec was taking his side. He wasn't sure if that was simply because they were together and that Alec did feel the same way as Max and Logan.

Now though things were finally making sense to Riley. The normalcy of joining his boyfriend for lunch twice a week countered the strangeness of stalking known members of White's 'gang' for the rest of the day.

Riley slipped off his bike and nodded to Cece as he passed into the building. The female X-5 that had joined Max and Alec at the messenger service had finally started to trust him not to try to kill her and Riley had to wonder how he had gotten such a dangerous reputation. Did they all think he'd try to kill them all? Another part of his mind kindly pointed out to him that that was exactly the reputation he had and it was that part of him that didn't mind having them all scared of him.

He glanced around the room and instantly caught sight of Alec standing in front of the dispatch desk. He was about to call out to him when he noticed who he was talking to. As soon as he did he started paying attention to the screaming in his head. There were only a few people that set of that kind of reaction in his senses, people with abilities like his own. In other words transgenics from Psy-ops with his own harvested abilities.

He slipped instantly off to the side and away from her line of sight disappearing effortlessly into the mass of messengers as he circled around behind her. He could already make out their conversation and his memory even pulled up the beginning that he had consciously missed.

"No, I do. I'm sure of it." Alec was saying before he frowned trying to remember something. "Back at Manticore. I spent six months in Psy-ops for evaluation. You were there, I never forget a face."

The girl seemed to sigh regretfully. "Can't put anything past you." Riley thought about making a move but he needed to know her ability before he did anything. He was immune to them all but that didn't mean Alec was.

"Not now, not ever." Alec told her smugly and Riley almost rolled his eyes. One of Alec's problems was that he was starting to trust people too easily. Riley was the one that had to distrust everything for the both of them but after finding out that he had a whole other world coming after him - something he still hadn't told Alec more about - he had a right to that mind set. "Now what was your specialty again? Was it, uh, hypnosis? Telekinesis?"

"Telecoercion actually." The girl told him. She was acting before Riley could do anything and Alec's eyes took on a strange mindless glint for a half second.

"Right…" Alec mumbled.

"Hi." The girl greeting Alec cheerfully. "I'm Mia."

"Alec, nice to meet you." Alec returned without a clue, no longer having the memories of the last few minutes of conversation.

Riley barely suppressed his growl before slipping around the corner as Alec walked away with Sketchy. Normal came back to the counter and Riley listened into the conversation even though he could no longer see it. "Here you go. I gotta warn you though, I've got a stack of résumés in there as high as my tush." Normal told her.

"Uh-hu," Mia paused for a moment and Riley could imagine her manipulating Normal too. "Can I be a dispatcher?"

"Yeah." Normal told her cheerfully. "Nothing less will do."

"Neat." Mia's voice said before a new voice joined the conversation.

"Hey, do I know you?" Max asked and Riley frowned from his hiding place.

"I don't think so, since I just started working here today. I'm a dispatcher." Mia announced happily. "It's really fun."

"Yeah, I guess." Riley could almost hear the frown in Max's voice. Why would a telecoercer want a job here? Riley knew better then to think it coincidence that she'd be working here with Max and Alec especially after wiping Alec's memory when he posed no threat to her position here and also the fact that Max had evidently met her somewhere else and been brain washed too.

Riley shook his head and slipped from the room pulling out his mobile as he did to call Alec and apologise for having to miss their lunch meeting. If Mia had a plan then Riley wanted to know more about it and didn't want her to see him first.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Crash

He had agreed with Alec to meet him at Crash after Alec got off work to make up for skipping lunch on him and he arrived on his own to a full club. He could see Alec talking with Mia at the bar and also Max talking to Original Cindy across the room. Also Logan had evidently arrived moments before him since he was heading in Max's direction. Deciding to keep this professional and not blow his cover so early on he vaulted the side of the railing and dropped down into the back of the bar shocking a couple who had been snogging there.

He slipped through the crowd and sat in a chair with his back to where Mia sat but where he could just see Max and Logan sitting together. Both were in earshot and he monitored Alec and Mia's conversation with half an ear while he concentrated on what Logan was saying.

"Wanted to talk to you earlier." Logan told him, Max made a permissive grunt, she evidently wasn't happy with the man and Riley smirked. "When you said you wanted to stick with the mission?"

"Okay…" Max gave him permission to continue.

"Because I got a tip Dougie's gonna be back at the club tomorrow night. Now, if you were serious about taking another run at him, that'd be the time." Logan told her. Riley frowned. Evidently Max had gone to meet Dougie at this club and something had happened to end it. Could it be that Mia wiped Max's memory of the event or told her to end it? It was a bit far-fetched and full of assumptions but it was also plausible and fit with Mia's sudden appearance on scene and the fact Max had already had a run in with her.

He missed the rest of the conversation, or more precisely he ignored it since it was just an argument before Logan stood to go to the bar, heading for where Alec and Mia were talking.

Riley half turned so that he could see the bar and it's occupants and watched as Logan walked up to it. He stood and began making his way across the club to an empty space on the far side of Mia, listening to their conversation the whole time.

"Hey, Alec." Logan greeted neutrally.

"Logan." Alec responded with a dip of the head.

"Hi, I'm Mia." Said girl introduced herself cheerfully.

"I'm Logan, nice to meet you." Logan shook her hand respectfully.

"Logan." Mia caught his eyes and Riley took advantage of her distraction to sidle up to the bar where neither Alec, Mia nor Logan could see him. Though if it wasn't for the fact that Alec was staring at Logan his boyfriend would have surely noticed him. "I think there's something that Alec wants to say to you."

She caught Alec's eyes for a moment but Riley was too interested in what she was doing to intervene. He could easily stop it from happening by getting between the two after all and Mia couldn't force somebody to become self-destructive. Manticore had tried that but the mind couldn't be forced to inadvertently cause damage to it's own body. Alec spoke up with sudden enthusiasm. "Yeah, Logan, I just…wanted to say that I understand why Max admires you so much. Sometimes I wish I had more of a purpose in life."

Riley frowned. Mia couldn't necessarily make somebody lie without telling them exactly what to say, which she hadn't. Did Alec really feel he didn't have a purpose and why the hell hadn't Riley taken notice of Alec if that was how he felt? "Logan, is there something you'd like to say to Alec?"

"Well, it's just that…" Logan paused. "I don't know, sometimes I wish I was more of a free spirit, and...it must be nice to be a happy-go-lucky sociopath. Kinda envy you."

Riley almost snorted in amusement. Alec was far from a happy-go-lucky sociopath. He might act that way but it was only because he wanted to be that way. In truth he was just like Riley in his views and attitudes. They'd been in each other's company for their entire teenage and adult lives after all.

"Awww…" Mia sighed. "Group hug!" Riley almost laughed as Logan and Alec hugged.

"Uh…guys?" Sketchy suddenly appeared next to them with an empty glass and a confused look on his face.

Alec and Logan snapped out of their daze and looked at each other uncomfortably for a moment. "Okay, later." Alec announced before slipping across the room to find an empty table to wait for Riley. Riley thought about following him but Logan was staying with Mia and he wanted to know more about what Mia wanted.

"So, you're Max's boyfriend, right?" Mia asked.

"Something like that." Mia caught his eye and he spoke more honestly. "Actually, I'm crazy about her."

"Well, then, why aren't you together?" She asked as Riley ordered himself a drink when the barman paused in front of him.

"Oh, it's a long story." Logan told her avoiding the truth but Mia wasn't fooled.

"Oh, I love long stories." She assured him before catching his eyes again. "Besides, I've got oodles of time."

__

'Oodles?' Riley thought to himself ironically. That definitely wasn't Manticore terminology.

"Well, I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but...a secret government agency called Manticore infected her with a deadly virus that's genetically targeted to my DNA." Logan told her innocently and Riley had to admit that when Manticore cooked her up from his own DNA they'd done a really good job. Logan probably wouldn't even remember admitting to knowing what Manticore was or that they'd wanted him dead.

"Bummer." Mia half smiled at him as she obviously noticed there was more to the human then she had first guessed. "Why'd they do that?"

"They wanted to kill me." Logan admitted. Riley thought about stopping her but she'd find it out eventually from one of them when Riley couldn't protect them all. He'd let her get her information and then threaten her nice and peacefully.

"How come?" She asked as Riley accepted his drink and passed the barman a five dollar bill.

"Oh, because I'm Eyes-Only." Riley imagined a world without the Pulse where Manticore was in control of America. With breakthroughs like Mia around with the X-5s to enforce their rules it would only be too easy to find and kill targets. Nobody could hide if somebody like Mia could find out who Logan was with only a few questions when people had been hunting for him for years.

"Really?" Mia smiled at Logan. Logan smiled back before being handed his own drink. Riley made his move as Mia watched him walk away back to Max.

"They designed you just perfectly didn't they." Riley pointed out quietly. Mia spun to face him in surprise. Riley had maintained his casual appearance leaning on one elbow on the counter but his right hand was now holding his pistol against her side so that nobody but the two of them knew it was there.

"You don't want to point that at me." Mia caught his eye and Riley just smiled. He let the gun sag slightly to make her think it had worked. "What's your name?" She asked more cheerfully. Evidently she hadn't recognised him like he had recognised her.

"Riley." He told her before snapping his gun back into her side with a smirk on his lips. "Or should I have you call me 862. I'm immune to your little tricks or have you forgotten that your abilities were spawned from my DNA."

"How much did you hear?" She caved.

"I saw you playing your tricks on Alec and Normal at Jam Pony and decided to follow you to find out why you were there and what your interest in working there was. I figure Alec is just collateral but what is your interest in Max?" Riley asked.

"It's so sweet to see you back with Max. I don't remember her from Manticore." Mia dodged the question.

"But you remember me, Mia. You know that I'd sooner kill you then let you dodge that question again. Spill it or you die." Riley told her.

"I've got a little plan running to help a friend of mine out of trouble with his boss before he gets killed and I need Eyes-Only to do it." Mia admitted.

"Dougie?" Riley asked making her go even paler as she realised how much he already knew. "And where does Alec come into this?"

"He doesn't yet. But I might need him. If I can trick Dougie's boss into being out in the open and get him mad enough at Dougie then he might give his boss up to the authorities and me and him can get on with our lives." Mia told him.

"You're in love with a human?" Riley asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He's immune to my telecoercion." She told him. Riley sighed and put the gun away and turned back to the bar.

"I'm going to let you do this plan of yours but I swear to you that if you do something to hurt Alec then I will hunt you down." Riley glared at her. "And you know how good at that I am."

"I don't intend to get anybody else hurt. That's not _my_ specialty." Mia retorted. Riley snorted in amusement.

"If you don't mind, your mind games have already cost me half a night with my boyfriend." Riley stood up and walked away knowing that she was watching him head for Alec's table. Riley leant down and kissed Alec on the lips before sitting next to him. He looked up and flashed Mia a smirk. He wanted to point out just how mad he'd be if Alec got hurt.

He was tempted to warn Alec about what Mia was but knew that if Mia was serious then Alec would simply be made to forget again. As long as Mia didn't risk Alec's life then Riley was happy to let her do what she wanted. Either way though, he'd have to give up watching White for the time being until this had blown over.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

The next day

Riley woke was up and ready for the day before Alec even woke up. They spent the night tiring each other out until about four o'clock and obviously Alec had been tired out more than Riley since he'd slept till seven. A whole three hours was an immense amount of time if they weren't actually injured.

"What are you doing up?" Alec asked. Normally Riley lounged in bed until just after Alec left.

"I was planning to come to Jam Pony's with you this morning." Riley told him.

"Why?"

"What? You don't want me there? I suppose I could just ignore you then." Riley teased.

"Ha, very funny." Alec rolled his eyes. "Seriously, why?"

"The psyops girl." Riley smirked.

"Who?" Alec frowned. "Hang on you mean Mia? Of course." He looked like he was about to slap himself in the head for not realising. "How could I not notice? I remember her from the evaluation."

"Actually you did realise." Riley pointed out. "The first time you saw her. She just made you forget."

"Huh?"

"Telecoercion, tried it on me but I'm immune to all of those in psyops with my genes." Riley shrugged. Alec already knew this bit. "I threatened her but now I'm going to keep an eye on her."

"I can do that." Alec protested.

Riley walked over to him as he pulled up his trousers and went to pick up a shirt for the day. He ran his hands across Alec's stomach before leaning up and pecking him on the lips. "I know you can look after yourself but as soon as you see her she'll just make you forget about what she is. I already know her plan, I'm just going to make sure she carries it out and doesn't get anyone hurt."

"And there isn't really much point in telling me the plan is there?" Alec sighed and pulled his shirt over his head.

"Not really no. I'll tell you once everything's finished or I think you should have a choice in what she has in mind." Riley smiled across at Alec before chucking him his wallet and phone. "Come on, I'll give you a lift, I happen to know your bike got left there yesterday."

Alec rolled his eyes but grabbed Riley's offered hand to be led down to his motorcycle and to work.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Alec walked into the building before Riley but he was quick to catch up though. When they passed the dispatch desk it was to see Mia behind it rather then Normal. Riley ducked back against the wall before she could see him, he wanted to let Alec deal with her on his own.

"Morning." Alec greeted her warily, his expression making it clear he was wary of her.

"Riley told you?" Mia said with her normal cheerfulness having probably expected no less. "Why's he got to go spoil my fun?"

"Ever heard of rude. You better not take my memories of Riley away." Alec told her pointedly not even bothering to try to avoid being hit with the ability much to both Riley and Mia's shock. It was logical anyway since she'd had at least ten opportunities to do it already and would have hundreds more over the day. Alec could also see Riley to one side and knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen.

"Couldn't do that if I wanted to sweetie, he's too far entrenched." Riley gave Alec a reassuring smile so he could see it out of the corner of his eye even as Mia caught his eyes and used her ability. "Oh! It's so exciting." She suddenly announced.

"What is?" Alec frowned wondering what his new dispatcher was talking about.

"Well, that you are getting back into the ring and coming out of retirement!" Mia announced in an excited tone.

"I am?" Alec asked confused but then realisation came across his features.

"Just in time for the big elimination fight tomorrow night!" Mia told him as if congratulating him.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Normal appeared beside Alec and put an arm over his shoulders. Riley was tempted to punch the man but reigned in the feeling. "Monty Cora rides again?"

"I'm back, baby!" Alec almost seemed resigned and he shot Riley a hopeless look knowing that Riley wouldn't be pleased with this revelation since he'd already shouted at Alec the first time he had found out that Alec had been boxing in the open and gotten himself captured by White just after Manticore was destroyed.

"Oh! Oh, lovely! Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear this? This right here; magnificence!" Normal gestured to Alec. "Shirtless muscle, rippling, sweat flying off like a thousand points of light."

Riley almost gagged. "He's one of my bigger fans." Alec told Mia with a desperate glance at Riley as Normal fawned over him.

"You're my hero. I live to serve you. I had this dream about you the other night. You were this Roman gladiator, and you slew barbarians and Medusa-like women, and I was your tiny little valet." Riley almost laughed at Normal's description. "I wiped your sword clean after every sweet victory. I rubbed your tired, beautiful, golden muscles…"

"Hot run, Fourth and Main." Alec shouted dodging out of Normal's grip to grab a package from the counter before running for his bike. He sent Riley an apologetic glance as he ran passed. Riley smiled at him and signed that he'd stay there for a while.

Normal strolled off into the room and Riley spun around to appear in the dispatch window. Mia almost screamed at his sudden appearance and Riley smirked. "You didn't think I'd let Alec come to work on his own with you around to mess with him."

"Riley!" Mia gasped suddenly not looking so confident.

"I'm guessing that putting Alec back in the lime light a second time is part of your new plan?" Riley asked but they were interrupted as Max appeared looking confused and rather down.

"Riley?" She asked in confusion.

"Just dropped Alec off, he left his bike here." Riley told her deciding it was better not to mention Mia. There was no telling how many times she'd already had the ability used against her.

"Oh." Max said before turning to Mia. "Hi."

"Oh, sweetie, what's wrong?" Mia asked seeing the depressed mood that Riley had purposefully ignored. "Is it Logan?"

"Yeah." Max sighed.

"Listen, everything's going to work out, okay?" Mia asked.

"You really think so?" Max sounded desperate and Riley frowned. Maybe Logan wouldn't be so bad for her but then again he was still a rather high priority target for everybody that wanted Transgenics in cages and he was a liability but if an argument between Logan and Max could make her so depressed then maybe he should do something about it. He tried to imagine Alec and him getting into such a fight and wondered how that would make him feel.

"We'll talk, come to Crash later."

"I can't." Max sighed. "I promised Logan I'd do this thing for him."

"At the 49 Club, with Dougie?" Mia surprised Riley with her candidness in front of himself since he was now leaning on the desk to one side of the conversation. He saw their eyes meet and suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and laugh. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Wait, how'd you know?" Max asked with a frown.

Mia met her eyes again. "Never mind, forget I said anything. Meet me at Crash tonight?"

"Okay." Max wandered off.

Riley chuckled as she walked off. "You know I find this rather amusing." He admitted.

"I hate doing it but it's for Dougie's sake." Mia told him.

"As long as it doesn't harm them then I'm happy. So spill it." Riley snapped. "Why are you making Alec fight again?"

"So that Dougie's boss can win a ton of money by betting on Alec as Dougie will tell him and then I'll get Max to make him lose the last fight." She told him. "That'll make Dougie's boss lose a lot of money and with Logan there and the broadcast he's going to make tonight as Eyes-Only, Dougie can point out his boss and me can move somewhere like the Bahamas with all the money I'll win by betting against Alec on the last fight."

"And how did you plan on making Alec lose the last fight?" Riley asked. Her plan was impressive actually. "He's no push over."

"Well since I doubt I could get you to fight against him." She paused and Riley shook his head in the negative. "I'll just get Max to force it."

"Alec can easily beat Max in a fair fight, though that hasn't been tested." Riley warned her. They only fight they'd got in had been when Alec had been sent out to see the effect of the Virus and he'd only lost because Logan had pulled a gun on him when he'd had Max pinned.

"It's a good thing that there isn't any rules in this fight then." Mia told him.

"I'm only going to say this once Mia, I'll be there at the fight tomorrow." Riley told her. "Alec stopped fighting because White caught up to him. His appearance as Monty Cora is going to attract White's goons and I wont let him get taken. One sign of White and this plan ends I promise you that. I rate Alec's life as much higher than any other. That includes you and Dougie."

"What about Max's?" Mia asked.

Riley narrowed his eyes and leaned into her. "I'd choose Alec's life over my own in a heartbeat. Max chose her own over me a long time ago. It's an easy decision."

"And this Virus?" Mia asked.

"What about it?" Riley snapped.

"It's the standard one as far as I can tell which means one simple transfusion of your blood into Max and the Virus is dead." Mia told him.

"And Max has one more weakness in this world." Riley told her. "Logan's a useful idiot at times but an idiot all the same. He's digging too deep into a world that is far beyond him. I was set on his trail and I'd found out his identity and captured him within a day. If Manticore hadn't been taken down then he'd have already been captured, they'd already have all of our names out of him and we'd all be on the run. I wont let her get close if I have to kill him to keep his mouth shut."

"And there was me thinking you'd gotten soft." Mia told him.

"I'll never get soft Mia." Riley snapped. "Mention this to Max or Logan and your plan ends."

Riley spun on his heels and stalked out of the building to go for a ride to clear his head. He hadn't liked Mia pointing out his own deeper feelings like that.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

That evening

After finding more out about Mia's plan, Riley decided he'd rather stay away from everyone. He hated to admit it but something she had said had struck true, his blood held the key to Max's happiness. Could he really justify not giving his own sister the chance to be with Logan.

He sat on the low wall with his back to a the staircase building on the roof of Alec's apartment block. His left foot lay loosely over the edge while the other was up to his chest. He'd sat up here now for four hours after getting home that afternoon. He knew that eventually Alec would return from Crash and find the note Riley had left him to explain his presence.

He wasn't mistaken either when he heard the door open across the roof from the other stair well building. He saw Alec's distinctive silhouette appear in front of the small flickering light above the door and knew that Alec would have already seen him. He watched as Alec walked across the roof and straightened his legs out in front of him in invitation for Alec to sit there. Alec knelt with his legs on either side of his own so that they faced each other.

"What's the matter?" Alec asked him.

"Nothing." Riley told him more because it was complicated over simply not wanting to dump it all on Alec.

"I don't believe that." Alec told him. "Is it because I'm fighting tomorrow? I don't know why I'm doing it, it's stupid and it could get both of us in trouble."

Riley smiled up at him kindly and shook his head ever so slightly. "It wasn't your choice, Mia made you agree."

"Mia?" Alec frowned. "Shit, I can't believe I let her do that! Were you there?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Riley assured him. "I know her whole plan. Do you think you could throw the last fight tomorrow?"

"You want me to lose on purpose?" Alec seemed shocked. If they were trained with one mindset it was to never allow themselves to fail. Failing on purpose was an odd concept for them. Riley only ever did it if he wanted his opponent to underestimate him or when he had allowed himself to be shot.

"She needs some people to bet on you to win for the whole night and then lose everything in the last fight." Riley explained. If he could convince Alec to lose the fight then Mia wouldn't have to do something underhanded like put Max in the ring and let her do something nasty to Alec. Faced with Max in a fight, Riley knew that Alec would hold his punches in some strange desire to make up for passed wrongs even though he didn't have any choice in most of the things he had done. "Would you feel better if I fought and beat you rather than Max?"

"What?" Alec seemed shocked. He knew that Riley could beat him in a fight easily like he could with all other X-5s. "But we're already risking me getting seen by White, he thinks you're dead and will come after you with a vengeance if he sees you're alive. I can't let you do that. I'll let Max win."

"You're going to let Max win?" Riley asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, what better way to hold it over her that I _let_ her win." Alec laughed. "I'll just wait for her to try to do something underhanded and then fake a fall."

"You're amazing, you know that." Riley told him before kissing him deeply.

"I know." Alec smirked at him. "Why is she doing all of this anyway?"

"She's in love with a book keeper and wants him to squeal on his boss so they can run off together." Riley rolled his eyes.

"I suppose we can't talk." Alec kissed Riley again soundly. "You're not going to bet against me are you?"

"Nah, don't really need the money." Riley assured him. "I'd rather stick with my principles."

"So why are you so down?" Alec asked and Riley nearly swore, he'd managed to avoid answering that properly since the beginning of the conversation.

"Can I ask you something?" Riley asked and received a nod. "If you were me would you cure Max so she and Logan could 'get busy'?" He asked with a shudder mimicking Joshua.

"If I had the cure in me then sure but if I was you then I'm not sure." Alec sighed. "I think I'd give it to her on the principle of keeping Logan alive and giving them a chance to be happy but she wronged you first."

"But I've wronged them since then." Riley pointed out.

"And made up for it by freeing Logan, rescuing the two X-5s you kidnapped and then by helping save Case." Alec added the last one before Riley could contest the first two since it had been him that had put them in harms way in the first place.

"So you think I should?" Riley asked.

"I think that if Logan's at risk then you should cure him, just like me or Joshua could, but whether you cure her is up to you." Alec sighed and dropped his head against Riley's so that their foreheads met.

"But you would?" Riley concluded.

"I would, yeah, but I'm not you. I failed somebody I loved once before, I'm not willing to do it again." Alec told him. "You've always come through for those that you care about even after they hurt you."

"I'm not heartless." Riley whispered though he didn't know whether it was in agreement with Alec's words or an argument against them.

"You're not heartless." Alec assured them. They sat like that for most of the night, taking the rare opportunity to just spend hours together in silence, something that Alec found very hard to do in normal circumstances.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Jam Pony

Riley went with Alec to work once again and this time Normal barely even glanced at him as he accosted Alec straight off. Riley walked over to the dispatch desk to talk to Mia and came across Max as she too arrived. She looked like hell with a black eye.

"Morning!" Mia greeted them both cheerfully.

"Hi, Mia." Max half smiled at her.

"What the hell happened to you?" Riley tried not to laugh imagining her getting beat up by some five year old. Not possible unless they drugged her or something but well worth the effort of imagining it all the same.

Max glared at him reproachfully. "Craziest thing." Max frowned. "Just woke up this morning and it was there. No idea how it happened."

Riley raised an eyebrow in Mia's direction with an ironic look on his face. Mia caught Max's eye for a second. "Seems to me like you slipped in the shower and banged yourself on the shampoo caddy. Must've hurt like the dickens."

"That's so weird?" Max frowned.

"What is?" Riley asked playing along.

"That's exactly what happened. Slipped in the shower, banged my head on the shampoo caddy. Hurt like the dickens." Max repeated word for word.

"Thought so." Mia sighed reproachfully. "You should be more careful, Max."

"Yeah, thanks I will." Max wandered off.

Riley turned to Mia. "X-5s do not slip in the shower, we don't slip at all." Riley told her sternly.

She smirked at him to show that she had done that particular story for that particular reason. "Max evidently did." She told him with a smile.

"You beat her up didn't you?" Riley asked guessing correctly.

"She found me and Dougie last night so I had to do something." Mia shrugged.

"And wiping her memory wasn't enough so you had to punch her too?" Riley asked.

"Actually I punched her before wiping her memory." Mia shrugged again. Riley burst out laughing.

"Oh, by the way. Alec knows who you are again." Riley told her simply. She frowned but Riley waved her off with a careless gesture. "He agreed to throw the last fight against Max. I think he likes the idea of letting her win and holding that over her head. I think he's been feeling suppressed."

Mia winced. "You heard what he said at Crash the other night?"

"About thinking that he didn't have a purpose in life?" Riley asked before sighing. "Maybe this will help prove otherwise, that's partly why I let him know the plan, at least the part he was involved with. So do me a favour and leave his mind intact from no on?"

"Sure thing." Mia told him. "I could always ask him why he feels that way."

"Nah." Riley shook his head. "I'm not much of a boyfriend if I can't work that out for myself or can't get him to tell me himself."

"See you tonight?" Mia asked.

"I'll be there but you won't see me until the end." Riley told her before turning away. He paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Nice broadcast last night by the way." Riley told her referring to the Eyes-Only broadcast she had forced from Logan.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

That night

Riley stood above the room on a walkway that served as an observation balcony when the room had been a formal ball room. It now hosted three large angled seating arrays, a betting booth and the central ring with its cage walls illuminated by bright lights. The balcony Riley stood on was dusty and shadowy in contrast, the door he had used to get here had been locked with a rusty chain and lock that he had easily picked to get in and then locked behind him. He could stay here in the shadows and watch everything that happened without being noticed himself.

He saw Logan and Max arrived as they had predicted as well as Mia's arrival and even though she had looked at the balcony expecting Riley to be there she hadn't noticed him as he hid deeper in the shadows. He had no doubt however that she knew he was there. Alec knew where he was as soon as he entered the Ring for the first time since Riley had moved into the light to reassure his boyfriend that he was there.

It wasn't until Riley saw Logan sneak out of the room and return five minutes later with Matt Sung, the police detective that Riley had threatened that once, that Riley knew things were about to heat up. Alec was announced as winner until Max entered the Ring and demanded a fight, confident in her ability to beat him. The fight was held off for a few minutes as Max warmed up and people were allowed to place bets. He saw the ridiculous odds in Alec's favour and was amused when he saw Mia walk up to the betting booth. Obviously she planned on making some money out of this and since she had put so much work into this Riley decided that he didn't mind it that much even though she was betting against Alec.

Riley pulled a small TV screen from his pocket for the third time in the last five minutes just as he had three times every minute since arriving. It was flicking rapidly through the security camera footage at a few scenes every second. Far too fast for any human to see details in but easily slow enough for Riley's transgenic senses to search them for likely suspects. No white and nobody that looked like one of his agents.

Riley had snuck in earlier and placed two items around the building. The first was a data-theft device that copied the security camera images and sent them to the screen he was holding so the buildings cameras were working for him. The other was a smoke bomb set under the betting booths on a remote detonator set to the trigger in his pocket. If he spied trouble or White he'd detonate the smoke bomb and fill the room with smoke. He could then move about the room without being seen and get Alec out while people panicked about a real bomb or fire.

The bell rung and reminded him of the fight and he trained his hearing through the shouts and cheers as Alec played his part and let Max beat him around a bit. It wasn't part of the plan but since Max was accusing him of different things, Riley assumed that Alec was seriously in letting her beat him around a bit especially after he braced for only one of the attacks, the first one when Max told him it was for the Virus.

Riley smirked though as Riley finished accepting the accusatory blows and tensed up. "Okay, that's it." He smirked nastily. "This is for what you did to Riley."

Max's eyes widened in concern, Alec had never had a go at her on Riley's behalf apart from the odd guilt trip months ago when they had first been freed from Manticore. Alec caught her kick effortlessly, punched her before slamming her to the ground. Max might be better at street fighting then either Alec or Riley but when it came to martial forms and coordinated fights she came up seriously short. She just didn't have the training that they did.

Ten years of intense training in Manticore couldn't be beaten by Max even if she had spent the years out of Manticore training in Martial Arts. It just wasn't the same. Max sent her across the cage into the all before she could regain her stance. Max evidently knew she was outmatched in this type of fight and obviously decided that using the 'no rules' part of the fight was her best chance.

"Oh look at that. Ring girl's lost her top." Riley almost rolled his eyes. Alec was Riley's boyfriend and even if most Manticorians didn't care about the male-female lines when it came to sex it was a rather stupid thing to expect Alec to fall for even if Alec had been flirting with the girl for the whole fight. Alec however took the opportunity to throw the fight and he glanced to the side. Max took the opportunity handed to her without second guessing the ease that she had distracted him and she kicked out and hit him in the groin.

Alec moaned out in pain though Riley could see the forced looseness to his muscles. Max's blow had seemed to land and Alec looked believably in pain but Riley knew what Alec looked like in pain since the only times Alec really got beat up were when it was Riley fighting him and the instructors at Manticore had taken great pleasure in trying to force a wedge between them by forcing Riley to beat Alec up in drills. If Riley didn't give the fight his all then they were both beaten far worse for defying orders. Alec wasn't in pain. The blow had probably landed on his inner thigh and whilst painful it wasn't a crippling blow like Alec was pretending it was. He watched as Alec curled up on the Ring's floor and Max left after being declared champion.

Riley wasn't interested in that though as a group of four stood on his left, the smallest of the four was gripped on both sides by two of the others. Mia was standing near the Cage and glanced up at Riley but he simply waved at Logan, Matt Sung and the policemen making their way through the cheering crowd. Riley glanced through the pictures on his TV screen for another few moment before vaulting the edge of the balcony and falling the ten feet to the ground below. Obviously White and his goons hadn't caught wind of Monty Cora fighting again or had an believed that no Transgenic would be stupid enough to make such an appearance.

He made his way around the room until he was on the upper level of the table and chair arrangements set aside for the richer clients of the betting club. He ignored the few people still sitting up here as if they weren't here. The only people that interested him were those just below him. He was going to make sure that Alec hadn't just risked himself for no reason.

He caught sight of Mia being accosted by Max as she tried to make her way over to them all and he waved over at them discreetly making sure that Max saw him waving at Mia like he knew her, which he did.

"We're ready to take you into protective custody." Matt Sung told who Riley assumed was Dougie. "Just say the word."

"You won't get as good an offer from the boss." Logan pointed out. "Tell us who he is and you get a fresh start."

"Come on Books. Let's go. Come on." One of the other men told him. It wasn't a request. Dougie eyed them all nervously.

"All you have to do is point a finger." Logan requested kindly.

Dougie glanced around probably looking for Mia who was hidden behind the policemen, finally he looked at the other men around him who were trying to force him to leave with them. Eventually though he spun around and point right passed Riley to one of the women seated at the table about a metre behind him and to his left. Everybody looked up but ignored Riley.

The woman in question, or rather man in a bad disguise that Riley had unconsciously noticed and passed off as just a man who wanted to dress as a woman, sprung to his feet and tried to dash past Riley and towards the exit. Riley took in everything in an instant. Matt Sung went to dash after him while others grabbed the other men and pulled Dougie to safety. Riley simply reached out a hand and grabbed the fleeing man by the back of the throat and his upper left arm arresting his fleeing in one brutal move. He spun the man off balance and forced him to his knees letting his head hit the railing in the process. He held him down as all of the policemen's guns were aimed at him and his captive.

Riley rolled his eyes before standing. He didn't offer any type of surrender but met Matt Sung's eyes and waited for the recognition. "Stand down." Matt Sung ordered. "When did the Feds get involved in this?"

"They didn't." Riley told him with a smirk seeing the surprised looks on Logan's, Max's and Mia's faces before they realised he did still have a federal ID. "Personal grudge." He explained with a knowing look at Mia who smiled at him disarmingly.

"Thanks." Matt Sung told him still rather confused, probably remembering their last meeting.

"I wasn't here." Riley muttered as he walked passed the detective, passed Dougie and Logan to where Mia and Max were standing. He sent a smirk at Max before smiling at Mia. "Everything went to plan so stop screwing with Alec's head."

She smiled up at him gratefully. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Riley made his way over to a still acting Alec and put on his best concern face before sitting down beside him letting Normal fawn over his boyfriend. Alec smirked up at him with a glint in his eyes. The room slowly cleared and Riley kept checking his TV for signs that White knew they were there but he never arrived and soon they were among the last few left. Riley placed a quick kiss on Alec's forehead and made his way over to where Mia was talking to Max and Logan. Dougie was asleep at a table behind them.

"Now, wait a second. You wanted Dougie to flip?" Logan asked in confusion. Riley found it nice to see him confused, not to mention out-manipulated.

"I've been trying to get him out of this life since the day we met. That's why I had you do the Eyes Only hack." Mia explained. "To push Dougie into doing the right thing."

"So this whole thing was a setup?" Max asked.

"And a really good one too." Riley interrupted with a smirk on his lips.

"Uh-huh." Mia agreed ignoring Riley's words. "I knew you guys would show up here as soon as you got onto me. Plus I knew you'd do whatever it took to help keep Dougie from running off."

"You were in on this?" Max rounded on Riley who was leaning against the chair back beside Mia.

"Of course." Riley shrugged. "Mia didn't have a choice to explain it to me after I recognised her."

"He would have put a stop to it otherwise." Mia admitted.

"Why didn't you just wipe his mind like you did to Max?" Logan asked.

"And Alec." Max suddenly added realising that if Riley had been in on it that Alec must have realised something especially after Alec had mentioned knowing her before.

"I'm immune to all of those in psyops." Riley shrugged. "They used my DNA to create their abilities so their abilities can't affect me."

"So you let this all run out?" Logan asked.

"Why not?" Riley shrugged again. "You got the boss, Mia got her Dougie and as long as Mia didn't get Alec in trouble by going in the Ring again I didn't mind."

A man walked up to Mia and handed her a large bag of money. "Here you go miss."

"Thank you." Mia smiled at him.

"What's that?"

"My winnings." Mia smirked.

"You bet on me?" Max sounded shocked.

"Of course." Mia said in faked surprise as she dropped the bag next to Dougie.

"How did you know I'd win?" Max asked.

"Because girls kick arse." Mia said seriously and Riley snorted in amusement. "That's what the t-shirt says right?"

"Now wait a second. If you wanted to get Dougie to quit the life, why didn't you just do your little thing to make him do what you wanted?" Logan asked logically.

"You know, I think that's why I love him so much. He's totally immune to me. I think it's because his brain wiring's a bit screwy on account of his condition." Mia said honestly.

"So you like not having him wrapped around his finger?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, what fun is being in love if everything is easy?" Mia asked with a pointed look at the two that Riley didn't miss. It was meant for him. At least he knew her opinion to his problem.

Normal and Alec hobbled over and Riley almost laughed at the acting from Alec who would easily be fully recovered from his blow. "Look what you did to him! What the hell are you?"

"Normal honey?" Mia asked catching his eye. "You need to forget everything you saw here tonight." Riley prodded her lightly and she continued. "Why don't you go home and have one of those nice Gladiator dreams you like so much?"

He nodded and instantly let go of Alec and walked off out of the door. Alec glanced to the side before straightening up with a sigh. "Ah, that's better. I thought he'd never leave."

"Here you go." Mia tossed Alec a bit of money. "Sorry for making you throw the last fight."

"He didn't throw the last fight!" Max stepped in eyeing Alec and Riley's smirk.

"You really think that distracting me from a fight is that easy?" Alec asked. "I threw the fight. Riley and I just decided to have some fun with you in the meantime."

"But I kicked you." Max frowned.

"In the thigh." Alec pointed out. "I dodged."

"I asked him to throw the fight when I explained the plan to him. His pride wouldn't let him lose to a human though and he didn't want to get the shit beaten out of him by me." Riley smirked and dodged the playful swat at his head. "We figured you'd fight dirty and used that as a believable way for him to lose the fight."

"Now I can say I _let_ you win." Alec bounced on his feet slightly.

Max glanced between the two probably thinking that she would have been a bit out of her depth against Alec in a fair fight, that was why she had cheated in the first place. She just hadn't realised that Alec would think of that and actually plan to fall for it. "You two are impossible." She shook her head.

"Ah, but that's why you keep us around." Alec pointed out.

"And because we keep her out of trouble." Riley pointed out. "I mean she did slip over in her own shower." He tried to keep a straight face but Alec's laugh made him lose it and he laughed at her shocked look as she looked between Mia and Riley.

"Very funny!" Max snapped before becoming seriously. "Why would you let Alec fight in the open like this with White on the look out. Isn't it a bit risky?"

Riley pulled out the TV and let Alec and Max watch the pictures flash passed the screen for a moment. He could see Logan's eyes widen as he tried to take in the details and fail. "It's a patch into the building camera network. I've been keeping an eye out for White or his goons all night and there is a bomb under the betting booth that I could have set off if I needed cover to get Alec out if White actually arrived."

"A bomb?" Logan frowned.

"Smoke bomb." Max waved his concern off knowing that Riley would never had set off am explosive bomb around so many people. Riley nodded his agreement to her assumption.

"All right Dougie." Mia suddenly spoke up placing the bag of money squarely on his lap to wake him up. "Time to go."

"Where? Where are we going?" Dougie jolted up in surprise.

"Maui!" Mia giggled. "Come on, we've got a plane to catch."

She darted forwards and kissed Logan on the cheek. "You are a beautiful, talented man." She turned to Max with a smile. "And you? You couldn't be a more rocking, awesome chick if you tried. You two are going to have the best life together. You're so perfect for each other. I know life stinks a little right now, but it can't always stink, right? Believe me. If Dougie and I can make it work, so can you. Always remember that, okay?"

Max nodded and Mia turned to Alec and hugged him. "Thanks for doing this." She turned and hugged Riley. "See you're not as bad as you wanted everyone in Manticore to think are you." She lowered her voice. "Just think about what I said, they had a right to happiness even if you don't think it's possible between us and humans. Look at Dougie and me."

Riley hung his head slightly for a second before nodding at her with a sad smile on his lips that confused Max and Logan who hadn't seen him so chastised before even if they hadn't heard what she had said.

"All right, Nappy." Mia announced. "Time to go!"

The two left with a last wave and Riley turned to Alec. "You look ridiculous like that you know?" He said quietly gesturing to his overly large embroidered shorts.

"Can't really be mad at her." Max pointed out. "I mean you got your guy."

"And she got hers." Logan agreed. The two nodded to Alec and Riley and walked off towards the door muttering between each other.

"Love birds the lot of them." Riley sighed glancing at the two walking away.

"And what do you call us?" Alec chuckled.

"Sensible." Riley pointed out without loosing his slightly ironic expression. "Let's go."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	12. The Truth hurts

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 12; The Truth hurts

**Crash**

Riley knew that nobody had noticed his presence yet as he'd managed to sneak through both rooms of the club and neither Alec or Max had noticed him and if the two Transgenic's hadn't spotted him then the two humans, Logan and Asha definitely hadn't. He studied the girl from across the bar. She must have been only just younger than Alec, Max and himself but she was a member of S1W, the 'terrorist' group that did the heavy work for Logan. He'd run into her when she'd been caught sneaking through sector fences and he had interrogated and allowed her to escape while still working for White. He knew from Alec that she and her buddies had done a runner to Canada for a while but evidently she was back. And she was talking to Alec, a rather repressed Alec.

"Long time no see." Riley didn't feel in the least guilty for eavesdropping on his boyfriend's words.

"I guess so." Asha responded.

"Yeah, you avoiding me?" Alec asked.

"No." Asha told him. "But I gotta say, I'm really glad nothing happened that night."

"Yeah me to." Alec sighed. Riley narrowed his eyes feeling rather jealous. _What night?_

"Probably works for days right, your whole 'Time is short, gotta put your heart on the line baby. I want you' speech." Asha smirked at him.

"Look, you don't want to get involved with me." Alec said rather sharply. "I was made in a lab. You know? I spent my formative years learning the fine art of assassination. There are guys out there right now looking to kill me, and I'm sure someday they'll probably succeed." Alec's words were rather self despairing and instantly Riley was more worried over his tone than the fact he'd hit on Asha previously.

"Spare me the drama." She snapped. "You're just scared to let go and care about someone."

"I do care about someone." Alec told her. "It's not my fault that the last time I tried somebody got caught in the crossfire and died."

"I'm sorry, I didn't…" Asha frowned having ignored the first part and focused on the second.

"Just do yourself a favour, Asha, and leave me alone." Alec said. Asha tried to plea for him to speak but he just glared at her. "Beat it." He growled. She left.

Riley made his way through the bar towards Alec and sat on the stool next to him. "I think she was worried about you."

"And you were eavesdropping on me." Alec told him rather waspishly.

Riley sighed and used his pieced together information from that conversation with Asha to reassure his boyfriend. "You're worried I'm going to get myself killed and you wont be there to save me."

"What if I am?" Alec snapped.

"I'm not going to get myself killed Alec." Riley told him.

"Just like you weren't going to get yourself killed before and you almost did. You brushed it off when White ordered you dead but that bullet went half an inch from your heart." Alec hissed at him. "If you hadn't dodged enough you'd be dead and don't give me any crap about not knowing it!"

"Alec, I…" Riley was stumped. He hadn't realised it was his own uncaring attitude that had Alec so irritated. Thinking back though it made sense, he hated the way that Max treated Alec as an idiot just because he was the cause of Logan and Max's unhappiness and undoubtedly he was partly blaming Riley for not solving that problem. Then there was Riley's incessant need to continue his personal war with White and risk himself in the process. Some negative feelings had to build up just from that. Riley knew that Alec would happily just leave his old life behind and it was only Riley's presence and his self imposed debt to Max that kept him here.

"You what!?" Alec snapped after Riley trailed off into his own thoughts.

"I…" Riley sighed. "Can we talk about this later?"

"It's always later when it comes to me isn't it, Riley." Alec snapped. "You run around all night chasing White and only afterwards do you even spend any time with me."

That hurt. The problem was it was true and Riley knew it. Ever since they had gotten together Riley had realised just how much he relied on Alec for keeping him sane, Mia had been the one to point that out to him. And Riley knew exactly why he preferred chasing White to spending time with Alec; He was too screwed up for Alec. With Alec it was friends and loved ones first in every case but Riley knew that he was still a Manticorian at heart and he was a killer, he felt nothing when he had killed those Sector Cops and he knew that he still didn't care about killing. He'd seen his old family so happy together and their abhorrence to killing and that was what made them all different to Riley. It wasn't that he enjoyed killing like White did, it was more the fact that he didn't have a problem doing it when it was the easiest option.

Alec wasn't like him, Alec had a good heart, he always had. Riley…he just wasn't up to Alec and Max's standards and Riley knew that they knew it.

"I…I cant." Riley managed before turned to the side and slipping into the crowd grateful that Max appeared at that moment to cut off whatever Alec wanted to say next. She didn't even notice Riley leaving as she ordered another drink.

Riley didn't want to hang around to hear whatever Alec would tell her. He slipped out onto the road and was on his Ninja before he knew what he was doing. "Fuck!" He yelled into his helmet shocking the couple of ordinaries passing him. He gunned the engine and tore off at ridiculously dangerous speeds. He must have driven around for an hour of two before eventually heading for Alec's apartment hoping that he'd be able to talk to him and work out his own mind.

What he saw when he got there worried him. The door hadn't been forced but it _had_ been opened and it had been done without the actual key since there were small scratches around the lock that hadn't been there before. Somebody had picked the lock. Riley unlocked it and pushed it open slowly listening carefully for sounds of a trip wire attached to the door. Happy that no such item had been placed he pushed it open fully and stepped inside. The place screamed of intrusion, things had been moved since he had left and he knew that Alec had gone straight from work to Crash so it couldn't have been here.

His photographic memory gave him a dozen examples of such movement, from the different lay of the curtains, the change in the state of the covers over the bed, the door to the bathroom was at a different angle, the bag of crisps had been knocked over on the counter and they hadn't cleaned up all the crumbs properly. Some had come in and searched the place and Riley could bet that they were still watching the apartment. He pulled his gun and paid closer attention to his senses. Two other apartments on this floor were taken and they both had people in them but the one next door also had people in it.

Riley heard a door click open and two sets of people making their way down the hall. Imaged of White flashed through his mind and the scene of Alec strung up and tortures came to mind. He backed to the side of the door just before the two approaching figures knocked through the door. The first took a cursory glance to the right and passed where Riley stuck to the shadows before taking a step in and looking left before the second came in and faced the living room, he took a step forward and came to a very sudden stop as Riley's pistol came to lay on the side of his neck.

"Easy now." Riley hissed. He'd already noted their state troopers gear and masks and he'd relaxed knowing that these weren't White's men, or he hoped they weren't. The other trooper spun on the spot and pulled up his gun. Riley faked a sigh and reached into his pocket with a barely noticeable movement and pulled out his wallet. He showed them the federal pass and they relaxed disappointingly quickly.

"Sorry, Sir." The one under his gun said and Riley belatedly lowered said gun and holstered it in the back of his trousers and pulled his jacket back over it. "We weren't told the Feds were in on this."

"You weren't meant to." Riley told them playing along. "You're the surveillance then?"

They played right into his hands. "Yes Sir. Apprehend anybody that comes looking and see if they match the description." The first to enter told him.

"So you don't have him yet?" Riley asked.

"No, Sir." He shook his head. "But if he's not here then he'll be at Crash and we have a team there for him too."

"What crime are you chasing him for?" Riley asked knowing he couldn't just ask what they wanted him for without tipping them that he hadn't known anything about this.

"The murder…" The man trailed off. "There are others?"

"Classified." Riley shook his head. "I'm afraid there's obviously been a screw up above our heads if we're both treading on each others feet chasing the same guy."

The men chuckled at his slur on bosses and relaxed further. "We better get back on post but I'm not sure we should be letting you stay in here and muck up a crime scene."

"Too right." Riley agreed to save argument even though he wanted to point out how quickly he'd known they'd been there. "I'll check out this Crash place. Good work but just to warn you, I saw the light on next door. That's how I was tipped off to your presence."

They took this in stride and as they headed into the next door apartment he noted in amusement that the light clicked off from under the door. He'd been too distracted to notice it the first time but that would have tipped him off before he even got to the door and he kicked himself for his stupidity. Here he was telling Max that getting distracted by Logan was a bad thing and he was doing the exact same thing.

He brushed off the thought and reached for his cell and punched in Alec's number. It continued to ring for half a minute before Riley snapped it shut. Either Alec couldn't answer or he didn't want to talk to Riley. He sighed knowing that he didn't have either Max's or Logan's numbers and remembered the moment vividly when Alec told him it wouldn't be a bad idea in case something happened and now his refusal was costing Alec. He slipped onto his bike and blasted his way through four sector points until he reached Crash.

It was much later now and the place wasn't as packed as he slipped inside and up to the bar. "What'll it be?"

"Nothing." Riley told him and only got a half shocked look as the bartender looked up and recognised him though as what he didn't know. "Have you seen Alec?"

"Umm…" The man stuttered. "Sector cops nabbed him outside on the street."

"What for?" Riley asked.

"I don't know." He frowned. "Lots of them though so must be something bad. Sorry, mate, but sometimes you just don't know people like you thought you did."

"I know him perfectly well thanks." Riley snapped. "Do you know where they took him?"

"No." He shook his head thoughtfully.

"What about Max? Or Logan?" Riley asked hoping they'd know what this was about. As far as he knew Alec hadn't killed anybody, not since getting out of Manticore at least.

"Didn't you know?" The man asked but Riley's harsh glare made him continue. "Logan collapsed for no reason and she rushed him to hospital."

"The closest one?"

"I assume so." Riley didn't thank him since he was too busy rushing from the room. He didn't know what to do as he sat on his bike mulling it over. Obviously Logan had become infected again and even though he knew that Alec could cure him temporarily he was now in the hands of the police and it would only be a matter of hours before White's men found him. It was Logan's life or Alec's anonymity. It would take hours to break Alec out of jail and more than half the day to find out which police station he'd been taken to since this was obviously a joint operation and by that time Logan would be dead unless Max could use Joshua's blood though that was risky in itself.

The alternative was cure Logan and then go find White before he was told and let White make his move and then bust Alec out but that would blow Riley's cover. He hated himself when he came to the conclusion that the most sensible action tactically was to save Logan first and then find White but it didn't sit well with him to ignore Alec predicament.

"What would you want me to do, Alec?" Riley whispered to himself but he already knew the answer. Alec wouldn't want Logan to die especially since Alec had had such a hand in it's placement. He gunned the engine heading for this sector's hospital with the rather ironic thought that he'd once told Logan that he would kill Max before letting his anonymity go. _Dear Lady, what's happening to me?_

He forced himself from his thoughts as a man suddenly appeared in the path of his bike, his senses picked out every feature of the man from his red hair to the strange trim of his leather coat that spun around his ankles. He even had time to wonder why he hadn't seen the man step off of the curve before he leant to the side and dodged passed him and on into the traffic wondering who was stupid enough to run into the road. The pointless experience proved that he needed to get his mind back on track and soon he was pulling into the car park of the hospital and yanking his keys from the ignition.

It took him a pitifully short time to convince the reception clerk that he knew Logan and get the room number and even direction from the young woman who was probably charmed by his looks and only five minutes to navigate the halls since they were much quieter now as it was only three in the morning. When he found the room he paused in the doorway, the blinds were closed and the only reason it was open was because a female doctor was standing in the room checking over Logan's vital statistics. She turned and saw him leaning against the door frame with his fingers tapping on his arm.

He ignored her curious gaze as he stepped forwards and snatched the chart and it's clipboard from her and studied it. "Excuse me!" She snapped but Riley ignored her in favour of the board. This doctor, presumably the Doctor Shankar on the chart, had rightly diagnosed the virus as a mutated strain of the bio warfare agent, Zycinor, and that there was no known cure. "Who are you?" She made an attempt for the chart and Riley, now finished with it, let her take it and think she'd won a battle.

"You could say that Logan is a family friend." Riley told her as a test to see if she knew what Max was.

"Are you here to help?" She asked catching on. Riley had to hand it to the human, she was smarter than most and didn't blurt out something like '_are you a transgenic'_ in the middle of the hospital.

"No, I'm just sightseeing!" He drawled with sarcasm dripping off of his tongue. Just because she was smarter than most didn't mean he would be nicer to her.

"Where's Max?" She asked him.

"I don't know." Riley shook his head. "Probably out looking for her hybrid puppy to come save the day. Could we please do this sometime tonight, I have over places to be and more useful things to do than save lover boy here from his lover's tiff."

She opened her mouth to reprimand him or something similar but his glare cut her short. She nodded briskly and turned to grab a double needled tube that she seemed to have ready. She motioned for him to walk around the bed and sit on a seat which he did. He pulled up his left sleeve and she quickly pushed the stoppered needle into the crook of his elbow. She pulled out a test tube to take a sample but Riley snagged it from her grip and placed it back on the table.

"I'd sooner kill you then take a pure sample of my blood and DNA." Riley glared at her as he hissed out the threat. She stared at him for a moment before setting up the transfer tubes and backed out of the room as his blood began to flow into Logan. Riley knew even as he waited that his own Universal-Donor blood was spreading through the human's body, revitalising his body and more importantly destroying any virus it found including the Zycinor strain currently killing him. But unlike if they had used Alec or Joshua's blood it wasn't just using antibodies to neutralise the virus it was actually attacking and destroying each of the virus cells. Riley now knew that it had to be his abilities that did it. He'd always suspected but now, thanks to Lydecker, he knew.

It wasn't until thirty minutes later that the slow flowing blood made a visible change to Logan as the man's eyes fluttered open and he groaned. Riley sighed out in relief though only really that he'd finally be able to get some proper work done and he sealed the tube and pulled it from his arm. He covered the small wound with a wad of cotton and taped it down before pulling his sleeve over it to hide the small weakness though it would close over in a matter of minutes. He slipped out of the room before Doctor Shankar could arrive and was glad to be on his bike once again.

He drove slowly through the city as he ran through his options. He didn't know where Alec was being held and he wasn't likely to do more than alert White of his presence if he went to the nearest police headquarters and used his faked ID to ask but he did know that the major threat to Alec's health was if, or more likely when, White found out and either sent somebody to get him or went himself to interrogate him. So in the end it boiled down to one thing, he didn't know where Alec was but he knew where White lived and where he would be at dawn in the morning. He glanced at his watched and thanked the Lady that he'd be able to sleep for a couple of hours before heading out. He'd been up for too long and lost a quarter of his blood to save Max's human and he wanted to rest before trying anything to save Alec.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Before dawn**

Riley woke in his own flat and sighed knowing that he and Alec had some serious things to sort out before he would be staying at Alec's in the future. Even so things like that could wait until after he had done some damage. He gathered his supplies; extra ammo for his 9mm, a sniper scope for when his normal eyesight which was as good as a human with a scope wasn't good enough and finally his planned finale. A block of C4 and a remote detonator. He grinned at the last one picturing White blowing up into a million pieces before he got changed into black clothing and slipped a black buff around his neck for later.

He tore through the city and through sector check points on his way to the nicer parts of the city and a two story walled home within it. It was White's house that Max had told him about. Now that he knew where White lived it wasn't so important for him to constantly know where he was based. It was rather stupid of White to return here to rest but you couldn't expect much more than that from a human, especially a human like Ames White.

Getting passed the high fence and the two patrolling guards was easy work with the dawning sun to muck up their vision and it was with a great sense of vindictiveness that he stuck the brick of C4 to the bottom of White's car and pushed in the detonator. He primed it and checked the frequency with his remote before retracing his steps out of the compound and back to his bike.

He spent the day happy in the knowledge that nothing out there could kill off Alec and that his only dangerous threat was being watched my Riley. He spent most of the day in an abandoned building spying on a fenced in compound of warehouses where White had set up his latest operation head quarters. It wasn't all peaceful though, twice he had to hide from a group that seemed to be bent on searching the building supposedly looking for some guy and he had to cancel calls from Max who seemed possessed by the Lady in the way she was trying to contact him. Maybe she wanted to thank him or something; he really didn't care. He did however memorise the number for future reference.

It wasn't until sunset that something of interest happened. White's car came out followed by two hummers and a secured truck. He assessed the situation like any assassin would. The hummers were low on their suspensions whereas the truck seemed almost empty. The analysis was simple, the hummers were filled to their capacity with troops and the truck was along to pick something or someone up. He slipped through the building and back to his bike and followed the convoy through the streets until he realised that they were heading for the sector five patrol headquarters. He took a detour and arrived with a few minutes to spare. Enough time to hide his bike down the road some ways and slip in on foot before White's hummers began disgorging their loads into the compound. He slipped into the front door just behind a group of five heavily armed soldiers and ignored the man asking for ID as he watched what they did.

The flashed the desk sergeant a photo and Riley zoomed his eyes onto it. It seemed to be a CCTV snapshot of Alec just as he was tensing to punch the camera. Must have been when they were rescuing 258, the mermaid, from White's clutches. The sergeant pointed them towards the back and mumbled out the room number which Riley easily heard.

He glanced back outside too see White waiting just outside his car as his troops cornered off the area. He showed the irritated guard his ID to shut the man up before following the five men up the stairs to the holding cell. They were oblivious to his presence even when they came up to the holding room to find the door open and an unconscious guard in the door way.

"Sir." One of the men spoke into his mic. "We have a situation, the intruder has escaped."

"_How long ago?"_ Riley could easily hear White through the ear piece when he tried.

"Can't be more than a few minutes, Sir." The man said as he checked on the guard.

"_Spread out, find them and shoot them on sight!"_ White snapped back. The men started searching down the hall and Riley followed them keeping to the shadows like the assassin he was.

"Freeze!" Riley heard the crisp snap of a weapon being aimed before he heard the order but he knew he was in no danger since the order had been given from one of the men as he looked into on of the rooms about ten feet down the corridor. The men poured into the room shouting the same orders and Riley could only sigh in irritation. He knew the situation was difficult but did Alec have to get caught so easily. The answer as to how he'd escaped in the first place was answered when he slipped into the room and saw Max standing shoulder to shoulder with Alec in front of the window which they had evidently been planning to escape from.

"Morons." Riley snapped as he appeared behind them. "White told you to shoot on sight. Now they've gone and killed you all. You should have listened."

Two weapons spun on him even before he finished and he grabbed them and shoved them into the men's noses breaking their noses and sending them both into a deep sleep, if the break hadn't killed them instantly. He couldn't really care. The third fell as Riley broke his neck and there was little doubt about whether he was still alive or not. The forth fell when Alec punched him in the face and the last fell to a kick in the chest from Max that probably shattered his ribs.

"Riley?" Max frowned.

"No, it's the Blue Lady you idiot." Riley snapped as he took out his irritation on the nearest half conscious guard with a solid kick to the stomach. "Why do I keep having to fix your screw ups?"

"What screw ups?"

"Logan, ring a bell?" Riley snarled.

"Oh my god! Logan!" Alec gasped before rounding on Max. "Is he ok?"

"He's fine, Riley healed him." Max told him.

"Riley…healed him?" Alec gave Riley a confused look.

"Oh, don't plan a parade or anything. I'm not doing it again any time soon. Let them have their lover's tiff next time." Riley rolled his eyes making his point clear to Alec that just because he had healed Logan didn't mean that he was going to cure Max any time soon.

"We need to get out of here, especially before they find another three you've killed." Max glared at Riley.

"They were going to kill you." Riley shrugged without a care. "Besides these are the same ones that were at that camp slaughtering the others."

The 'that I sent there' didn't have to be said aloud to be heard and Max gave him a slightly apologetic look. Riley wouldn't have just killed them if he didn't have to. "We were going to go out here but they've tripled the guards."

Riley shrugged. "White just arrived with thirty off men to take Alec into custody." Riley met Alec's eyes for a moment. "None of us can take on thirty all at once."

Max eyed the two carefully for a moment but it didn't take a genius to see that there was tension between the two. Especially when Alec narrowed his eyes. "I could have got out myself."

"Don't be an arse, Alec!" Riley snapped. "There is only one way either of us could have gotten our of here in this situation and that's by killing them all."

"So what?" Alec glared.

"We've both changed and you know it. I can only kill now if I have to, what about you, Alec? Have you killed anybody since we got out of there or were my family the last ones?"

Max gasped in shock and her hands came up to her mouth. "You're family? Another transgenic?"

"No, my actual Aunt and her family." Riley spared her a glance.

"You can't blame me for that. I didn't know who they were!" Alec told him.

"Of course I don't blame it on you, I'd have done it anyway." Riley told him. "The point is you wouldn't do that now, unless you had to."

"You'd have killed them?" Max frowned as she spoke up.

"They sold me to Manticore to get rid of me." Riley barely glanced at her in explanation. "We don't have time for this. We need to get to the roof."

"Oh here we go again." Alec mumbled annoyed at Riley's shrugging off of problems.

"Would you two quit fighting!?" Max snapped as she shoved them both away slightly. "We need to get out of here and then you two can bitch!"

"Fine." Riley snapped and turned on his heal heading for the roof. The other two hurried to catch up.

"I thought of this but they've got spot lights on the gaps to stop us jumping." Max told him.

"You didn't set up a distraction though." Riley told her without his normal reprimand for being sloppy.

"What did you do?" Max asked seeing that Alec was going to simply remain silent.

"Watch and see." Riley told her as the three approached the edge of the roof and cautiously looked out over the building. White was standing about ten feet from his care but Riley couldn't afford to wait for him to set himself up. "It's a shame."

"What is?" Max frowned eyeing the mass of troopers guarding the building.

"He isn't in the car." Riley told her before flicking the button. A wave of air brushed passed them and instantly after White's car obliterated itself into one massive fireball which sent everybody below flying away from it including White who smashed headlong into nearest wall and hopefully broke something. By the time the troops looked back at the building the three had escaped over the rooftops and to freedom.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley followed Max and Alec back to her own apartment, a place that Riley had scouted out a long time ago when he had still been planning her downfall and then ignored in the interim. He knew as they walked up through the apartment block that Alec was on the verge of losing it at Riley, he could see the slight quiver in his movements, the pent up confusion that needed an outlet. Even if his senses couldn't 'see' Alec it could detect the threat a mile away.

Max, to her credit, was well aware of this tension and as they entered her apartment she ducked into her kitchen smoothly dodging Alec as he rounded on Riley. "What the fuck are you playing at?"

Riley was confused, he'd expected being accused of abandoning Alec there, of getting himself in trouble by coming to rescue him or even for letting Max attempt an escape on her own but not something this vague.

"Huh?" Riley frowned.

"Why didn't you warn me they were coming?" Alec growled. "Did you want me to be captured so you could come save me!? Wait for White to show up so you could swoop in an save the day? Just so you could prove once again that I need you to stay alive!"

"What the hell?" Riley gaped in shock. Even Max to one side looked surprised.

"Everyone thinks I'm useless, even Logan and he's human!" Alec glared.

"Alec!" Riley snapped. "Nobody thinks you're useless! I trained with you for ten years, how could I think you couldn't handle yourself?"

"So why didn't you warn me?" Alec glared. "They told me that some fed called Faedren was scopeing out my place and told the cops watching the place you were looking for me. I get that you ran into the trap but why didn't you warn me?"

"I didn't have time." Riley snapped, "I called you as soon as I knew but you'd already been captured! I even went back to Crash and talked to the barman. Then I had to run and clear up the mess Max and Logan got into and then tail White all day to find where they took you!"

Max looked like she wanted to speak up about his involvement with Logan but decided to keep out of the argument. Riley dropped his head and slowly lifted it to look at Alec who was keeping silent. "Did you really think I could do that to you? After everything we've been through, everything _you've_ been through? Abandon you like they did to me."

Riley waved a hand at Max before she could speak at the direct mention of her and the other eleven that escaped before. Alec looked up at Riley and worried his lip between his teeth. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, alright? I overreacted."

Riley took two steps forwards to close the gap and let his forehead fall against Alec's own. "I don't think you're useless, Alec. You know that right?" Alec met his eyes as close as they were and slowly nodded his head. Riley continued. "I know you as much as you know yourself, I know every part of your fighting style and how good you are at what they taught us. The world that sold me to Manticore are going to come looking for me at some point and I'm going to need you with me to help me stay alive. Can you do that?"

Alec pulled back. This was the first time since discussing his murdered family that he had truly talked to Alec about it. "Of course." Alec told him. "I'm sorry, I've been acting like an idiot for so long. I know you'd never do anything like I said. You've never cared what people thought of your skill and I know you'd never risk my health to prove anything to anybody."

Riley kissed his lightly on the lips and spun away to face Max. "I need to talk to you both about where I came from."

"We hoped you would at some point." Max told him.

"Here's the short of it." Riley braced himself knowing that Alec and himself had questions about why Alec had been arrested that they both wanted to ask her. "I'm not the only one with my abilities, there is a whole hidden society of them in England. My aunt sold me to Manticore because they didn't like what I was and Manticore restricted my ability to control my powers."

"Powers?"

"According to Lydecker it's magic." Riley sighed. "Manticore experimented on me to create the psyops branch and also to make you all immune to magic. We were supposed to be the front line soldiers in case the 'Wizards' ever attacked."

"Immune?" Max frowned. "That explains why you can't sense where we are."

Riley nodded but it was Alec that spoke. "So why would they come for you? Why would they care after so long?"

"Lydecker said they all knew me and that they needed me to fight a war for them." Riley told them emotionlessly. "He said they'd go to any lengths to get my help even force me."

"But this is Lydecker we're talking about." Max pointed out.

"I remember he sat up with you a couple of times when you were wounded, Max. And he did the same thing for me after the instructors beat me too hard." Riley told her. "No matter his methods he didn't want any harm to come to us."

"He killed Eve." Max told him causing Alec to frown.

Riley rubbed his head in frustration. "I know, Max. I know."

"Well it doesn't matter. If these _people_ think they can hurt you they'll have to go through me." Alec spoke up resolutely. "If they use magic and I'm immune then I'm perfect for the job."

Riley gave him a lazy smile in gratitude. "I'll help when the time comes too." Max told him.

"Thanks Max." Riley gave her a small smile and she smiled back. Riley straighten up and changed topic. "Why did they want Alec?"

Max lost any happy look she had had previously. "They think he killed somebody."

"Not just killed somebody, hunted them and then ripped out their teeth." Alec pointed out with a wince.

"Ripped out their teeth?" Riley's voice was less than a whisper as his hand came up to clench the Blue Lady on the end of the chain around his neck. Max caught his eye and nodded with a sorrow filled look to her that banished any lingering irritation he had for her. "Ben?"

"Ben?" Alec echoed. "You mean, my twin Ben? They told me back in Manticore that he went nuts but serial killer?"

Riley grabbed his hand and squeezed it to shut him up. Max sighed before speaking. "When we were kids, back at Manticore, he always wanted answers for everything. You know?" She shut her eyes and Riley found himself picturing Ben's shadow puppet games that he always played on the walls. "Why we were there, what was outside. So he would make up these fantastic stories to explain things. Somehow it made us feel...loved. Like we weren't all alone."

"What happened to him, Max?" Riley asked quietly and Alec, hearing the pain in his voice pulled him in front of him and wrapped his arms around Riley's waist and let Riley lean against his chest with his chin on Riley's shoulder.

"After we escaped, it was like there were too many things in this world he didn't have answers for." Max told them quietly. "I don't know, he just lost it."

"Max, what is it?" Riley broke away from Alec and crossed the room to stand in front of her. "What happened?"

"We were in the woods. He was hurt. Manticore was closing in on us. He didn't want to go back there." Max almost sobbed.

"Reindoctrination, or worse." Alec spoke up from behind Riley.

"I killed him." Max's words were like a knife to his chest. Riley recoiled so fast he felt his bones crack. He stared in shock and a little bit of horror. He could picture the scene and Ben's desperate face as he asked it of her. He knew perfectly well the desire to die before going back there and he knew why Max had done as asked but to find out that Ben, who he had loved so much and forgiven first after their escape had died at Max's hands in an act of pity, hurt him to the core. Riley clutched at the chain around his neck before backing away. He darted from the room before Alec could stop him and out through the building to the roof top.

He must have sat on the edge of the roof staring over the city for an hour before a soft scrap on the ground alerted him to the presence of somebody behind him. It had to be an X-5 but the scrap wasn't subtle enough for Alec's normal warning. Max had arrived and finally decided to announce her presence. If she could sneak up on Riley then she hadn't forgotten all of her training though he was distracted. He half turned to her and she moved over and sat on the edge with him.

"I must have relived that moment a thousand times in my head." She told him. "Trying to find another way, a way to keep him with us."

"He was tearing out the teeth of his victims." Riley told her blandly. "I think he was too far gone at the time."

"It was the pain and desperation in his eyes." Max sighed. "He collected the teeth and presented them to a statue of the Blue Lady. He always placed on in her hand and the other twelve around the base. He said the ones around the base were for each of us that escaped but he didn't tell me what the one in the hand meant. I think I know now that it was for you."

"Do you think?" Riley asked without bite, half hoping that Ben had remembered him out here even in such a strange way. "You and Zack were my brother and sister in arms but I always loved Ben that little bit more. He used to always try to cheer me up. He was like the older brother you yearn to make proud."

"I know what you mean." Max sighed. "Alec said you forgave him a long time ago."

"I had to." Riley told her. "Every moment I was around Alec I could remember Ben's words and thoughts. I couldn't stay angry at him when I could constantly here him trying to cheer me up in my head. It would have been too painful to always have that reminder."

"I'm sorry I ever left you there." Max actually started crying for the first time, not just a tear but not a full blown hysteria attack like a normal human. A silent mourning. "I hated myself for it for years but I eventually forced it away as having had to be done to survive. It wasn't until Zack showed up just over a year ago that everything came flooding back to me. I must have relived everything we went through together every time I slept for months and then to see you like this. A twenty year old killing machine without emotion or regret simply shocked me. You're so different to the little kid I remembered that I lost any hope of you being that kind determined person."

"What changed your mind?" Riley asked sincerely curious.

"The way you protect Alec, the way you ripped into Zack." Max started.

"And the fact I kept our offering all these years and wear this pendant?" Riley concluded correctly. She nodded.

"Will you ever fully forgive us?" Max asked after a few moments silence.

"I might already have. It's hard to be sure. I've forgiven Tinga and I'm sorry I never got to see here though her son knows all about Prince Riley." He gave her a small smile at her confused look. "Seth and Zane; well I captured them and handed them over to White so it's only right I forgive them. I've seen Krit and Sly too since then and I can forgive them. Brin, well I don't know about her, I saw her back at Manticore but nothing happened. Zack; well he's different. He keeps appearing and then running off again. I don't even know if he cares enough to want to be forgiven."

"I'm sure he does." Max told him, cheering up ever so slightly.

"Even after I decked him?" Riley shot her a grin.

"That was barely a tap." She countered.

"Not the second time. I ran into him before Krit, Sly, Seth and Zane ran the border with Charlie and Case and I punched him…hard." Riley grinned again. Max chuckled before the two fell into silence for a time. Riley finally got up the courage to speak. "Max? About Logan."

"I know, I know. You don't want me around him because it makes me weak." She sighed. "But you know how much I love him. I can't just turn my back on him."

"Two months ago I would have scoffed at that but I think I can see your point." Riley sighed. "Just be careful about how far you get tied down. Ok?"

"Ok." Max told him sincerely. "Thank you for showing up. I know I didn't ask you and it means a lot that you turned up on your own and cured him."

Riley shrugged. "Alec would have been even more angry at me if I let him die."

"About that? Shankar told me something strange." Max turned to him and Riley felt his head drop ever so slightly and he hugged his arms across his chest self defensively. "How long have you know that your blood actually destroys the virus?"

"It destroys all virus." Riley told her. "And ever since they experimented with carrier delivery against targets."

"How long is that?" Max asked.

"About six years." Riley told her.

"Why didn't you say that? Why didn't you let me use your blood to kill off this thing inside me?" Max asked him. An angry glint marked her expression and Riley sighed.

"Because I was angry at you, ok?" Riley snapped. "You blamed Alec and treated him like an idiot even though they would have killed him if he refused to let you pass it on and then you blamed him for wasting your money to save himself from having his head blow up!"

"I wasn't really that angry about it!" Max told him.

"You've treated him like Manticore's foot soldier for months, Max, and don't try to deny it." Riley told her. She opened her mouth to argue but Riley deflated slightly and interrupted her. "But I know I should have come forward weeks ago. I was just so angry at you. When I left to capture Seth and Zane I wanted to hurt you and Zack so badly and then everything went crazy and Alec wanted me to help you out and change into the perfect human citizen. It was defensive to hold that last card to myself."

"Why didn't Alec tell me?"

"Or Mia." Riley pointed out. "They knew what you did to me. Alec remembers my nightmares just as I remember his about Rachel. Six months without Logan doesn't come close to ten years in hell after being betrayed by my family."

Max gaped at him but his words were true. She wanted his forgiveness but didn't really have anything behind her to request it. She hadn't done anything to deserve his returned trust. "I know, Max." Riley sighed not really knowing what he knew. "Tomorrow, I'll give you the transfusion."

She stared at him for a moment. "Riley, you've always been my brother ever since I left you there. I could never picture you behind a smoking barrel aimed at me but I knew you had every right to hurt me for what I did." She sighed. "Whatever Lydecker meant about your world and whatever crap it causes you can trust me to be there beside you."

Riley watched her for a moment before leaning to the side so that their shoulders touched. He wrapped a hand around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. She lay her head on his shoulder and sighed before hugging his waist. It felt good to hug her after all that hate and betrayal but he finally felt like one of the strings of barbed wire that wound around him heart had come lose and dissolved away. He smiled and closed his eyes and he drunk in the feeling. This was his family.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	13. Exposure

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 13; Exposure

**The next morning - Max's flat**

Riley stood in the window of his sister's flat staring out into the night like a Gargoyle watching out from a cathedrals walls. He barely even breathed and there wasn't the slightest movement from his limbs. His boyfriend, Alec, and sister, Max slept in the flat behind him. Max was in her room and Alec was on the sofa. Riley had stayed on the roof after his making up with Max and by the time he returned they were both asleep. Though they wouldn't be asleep for much longer. Three hours really was the maximum any of them slept each night.

He shut his eyes fighting back the emotions he felt. Finally he didn't have a single urge to hurt Max. For the first time in eleven years he felt drained of the emotion for revenge and he was left feeling awful for it. He knew he had been justified, even Max knew that, but he felt the loss of his family just like when they had first deserted him. He'd dealt with it then by locking it away under his training but this time he had to deal with it.

'_But Damn! It doesn't half hurt!'_ Riley thought to himself. He tensed for an attack as he felt arms wrap around him but his genetically advanced senses recognised a hundred things that marked his assailant as Alec from his scent, to his breathing and heart beat, even his weight on the boards behind him.

Riley leaned back into his boyfriend with a sigh and Alec put his head on his shoulder. "You need to rest."

"I don't need any." Riley countered.

"Did you agree to do the transfer?" Alec asked instead of insisting on sleep.

"I said I'd do it tomorrow." Riley sighed. "Then there's no reason to blame you for it."

"I think she's already let that go." Alec pointed out. "Riley? About what I said yesterday. I was angry about needing to be saved again. I didn't mean it when I accused you of letting me be captured. I know you'd never risk something like that."

"No I wouldn't." Riley sighed. "It's interesting that that's exactly what they'd have expected of us back in Manticore."

"That just proves that we're not some mindless soldiers anymore." Riley pointed out.

"I don't think Riley was ever a mindless soldier." Max spoke up making Riley slip out of Alec's embrace to face her.

"I was back there." Riley told her. "You saw how the others reacted to me in Terminal City. Most of them are terrified of me."

"Or your fighting skills." Alec commented.

"Not helping, Alec." Riley rolled his eyes.

"I'm not talking about that." Max sighed. "You were always the first one to help the rest of us out. You were always the first to the top of the wall on the assault courses but always helped the rest of us up. You always chose the harder of the two options to give the other the easier route. You might have joined late but to most of us, even Zack, you were the older brother that protected us."

Riley stepped back and Alec came to the rescue and wrapped an arm around him. Max stepped forwards. "Back when I was a kid out here I used to wish that you'd walk into the room and save me from my troubles. Then you showed up after Manticore had been destroyed and you wanted me dead so much. I was so scared you were going to walk in and kill us all for what we did to you, but you haven't and that's why I know you were never just a mindless soldier."

"I don't know if I have the heart to be everyone's saviour, Max." Riley stepped forwards. "But I'd like to be yours again."

Max hugged him and Riley returned the gesture. "Onwards it is then." Alec spoke sarcastically. Riley stepped away and slapped his arm gently before leaning over and pecking him on the cheek.

"What are you two going to do now?" Max asked looking at the couple with a soft look of acceptance to their joined status.

"Well, Alec obviously can't wander around the streets or go back to his place." Riley sighed. "We could disappear up to Canada I suppose and find the others."

"I don't know where they are though." Max frowned. "Zack never even leaves me a number."

"That's not going to stop Riley." Alec laughed.

"I don't think it would be hard to find them. They'd barely started on evading and tracking before you escaped." Riley smirked at her. "Don't forget I found Logan inside a couple of hours when White still hasn't managed it."

"I'd forgotten about that." Max frowned. "So you want to go up to Canada to the others then?"

Riley stared at her a moment before looking around at Alec's face so close to his own. He met his eyes and an unspoken message passed between them in a second. Max looked so lost right now. She's obviously spent the night upset over what had happened to Ben. Things in her life were getting more and more complicated and in that single question she had belied her need to have some of her family around her. "We'll stay with you for the time being if you can put up with us." Riley told her with a small, understanding, smile.

"You don't have to." Max really didn't sound like she meant it.

Riley stepped out of Alec's arms and walked over to his sister. "Just like after our nightmares, Max, we stick together. We help each other out of scraps just like we promised. We all took an oath to stick by each other and it's about time we honour it."

A grin spread across Max's face and Alec chuckled. "You two make me all warm inside." He laughed.

"No, that's just your stomach needing food." Riley retorted without missing a beat.

"I'm not hungry!" Alec argued.

"Alec, mate?" Riley turned and raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend. "You're always hungry."

"That's because they didn't give us fast food in Manticore!" Alec groaned.

"I don't think this conversation's going to get back to serious matters any time soon." Riley reported to Max and heard Alec sigh behind him, muttering about being ignored and neglected. "He'd better stay at my place for the time being. Or Joshua's."

"Yours." Alec decided instantly.

"I don't have a TV you realise?" Riley asked with a sidelong look of amusement to Max.

"Well…" Alec looked thoughtful as he rethought his decision. "Joshua's isn't so bad though."

Max grinned at Riley knowing that the whole thing was just a play to cheer them up. "He doesn't have a TV either."

"Oh dear God!" Alec looked at the ceiling. "How do you people live!?"

"The Lady finds a way." Riley smirked at him. "My place or Joshua's?"

"Yours." Alec winked at him and Riley heard Max laugh.

"I need to go get my bike. I hid it around the block." Riley told them. "I'll meet you out the front."

The two nodded and Riley gave Max a quick hug before he slipped out.

Riley walked quickly around the block to his bike and was pleased to see that it hadn't suffered for it's night out in the open, especially in a city like Seattle. He sat on the top and put on a pair of sunglasses before turned on the engine. He pulled out of the alley and kept his eyes open for police as he pulled up to the building that Max lived in.

His searching eyes took in everything in the area at all times and to his irritation he saw several things. Max was hugging Alec outside the building, which in itself didn't really bother him, but what did annoy him was the two other people watching the scene. His memory had happily told him that the car that was new to the scene was Logan's and the man was standing looking rather disgruntled beside it.

He frowned at him as he pulled his bike to a stop across the road before studying the second person watching the scene. While everybody else on the street were walking passed, looking around and generally being normal this man was standing in a doorway that was directly opposite the door to Max's building. Riley felt lucky that he had come out of the side door. He opened up his senses as he sat silently on his bike. The only two people he couldn't sense were Max and Alec but there was a slight difference in that man. It was like looking at a small spot of dark red on a background of normal red.

He focused in on the man and saw his features much closer than before. He reminded Riley or someone from yesterday and it took a moment for him to put his finger on it. The strange trim to the leather coat, the way his right hand strayed slightly towards his left arm when somebody came too close to him made him remember the man that had stepped off of the pavement the day before. That man had reached for something under his left sleeve just like this one nearly had. Some kind of weapon maybe. A knife? Were they assassins.

Either way, this one didn't seem to be bothered with Alec and Max beyond watching them but he might have been following Riley and that concerned him since Riley hadn't realised he was being followed and his senses almost always warned him about that. Deciding that it was too risky to break his cover he pulled his cell phone from his inside pocket and dialled Max's number since Alec's phone would have been taken from him. He watched as Max reached into her own pocket while talking to Alec. She showed Alec the front of the phone before answering.

"_Riley, what's the matter?"_

"Don't look up but I'm just across the street, under the green door." Riley saw them both glance back at Max's building and knew they'd seen him in the reflection of one of the windows in the ground floor.

"_What's the matter?"_ Alec asked. It was easy for them to all hear and speak to each other even with the gains of the cell phones set on low.

"You have an audience." Riley told them glancing covertly at what he had decided was a spy. Then he turned to see Logan slipping back into his car. "Max, what did you say to Logan after yesterday?"

He saw her wince from across the road and wide walkway to her building. "_I broke it off with him. I couldn't risk it happening again."_

"He's going to think you dumped him for Alec." Riley pointed out blandly. "He's been watching you since you came out of the building. He's just left."

"_Damn!"_ Max swore.

"_Hey, aren't I the popular one!"_ Alec joked.

"Max, not that I want to get involved but you'd better talk to him after we get rid of that virus." Riley told her with a sigh.

"_Not that I'm complaining about the heads up but why are we being covert about this?"_ Max asked.

"Alec, duck and look, Max's two o'clock." Riley told him. Almost instantly Alec, feigning disinterest in the phone call kicked at the floor before swooping down to his left to pick up a stone from the floor. He straightened and toyed with the small pebble but he was now standing between Max and the spy across the street. "The guy in the doorway, black leather jacket, black hair, forties."

"_I see him."_ Alec told him for the both of them as he looked passed Max and into the reflection in the window behind her. It was too risky for Max to say the words since she was directly facing the spy and all three of them could lip read and didn't want to risk him doing the same.

"He's only watching the two of you but I came out the side door so he might be waiting for me." Riley sighed. "I saw somebody very similar to that yesterday."

"_That doesn't necessary have anything to do with you."_ Alec pointed out just after Max told him about a party at Cindy's house that Friday. It would be too obvious is she stood there in silence and if the man could lip read they had to play along.

"He feels different to the other Normals. More alive I suppose. More vibrant and energetic." Riley frowned. "I've never felt it before and that worries me."

"_Right, well I'll see you later. We'll meet at Shankar's like planned."_ Max told him vibrantly before continuing for the act. "_No don't worry, I can get there on my own."_

"_We'll lose him, Riley."_ Alec said quietly. "_Be careful."_

"Always." Riley hung up. Max would meet him at Doctor Shankar's office where Logan had been the day before.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Hospital**

Doctor Shankar's office was as Riley remembered it from yesterday. He broke in when she was off somewhere and without a care searched it over for anything detailing Transgenics. His original judgement about her had been on the ball though since she didn't seem to have kept any details about him or Max in here though after breaking through the password on her computer he did find a file on Logan's blood work and the effect of Riley's blood. He deleted it making sure it wasn't present anywhere in the system.

"What do you think you're doing in here!?" His memory told him that the voice belonged to Doctor Shankar and he didn't even look up as he shut down the computer. When he did look up it was to see both Alec and Max standing with her. He flashed them a smile. Max narrowed her eyes at him in resignation but Alec grinned at him in amusement. "What did you do to my computer?"

"Deleted the file you had on Logan's treatment." Riley told her bluntly. He stood up and raised his eyebrows. "Let's do this."

"Sit back down." Doctor Shankar told him before heading to a side table which Riley had noticed held a tray with several implements that would be needed for the transfusion. Max sat across the table from him and Riley waited patiently as she wired the two of them together and blood began to flow. "I'll be back in a few minutes." With that she walked out.

"Thanks for this, Riley." Max told him as Alec settled down on the arm of Riley's desk chair.

"Better than punching you in the nose." Riley laughed before smirking at her. "I take it you'll be busy tonight then?"

She went bright red and Riley and Alec laughed at her face.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

Despite their posturing that Alec would stay with Riley they still spent a lot of their time in the house that Joshua lived in more because there were less people to monitor the building and with the spies that seemed to be watching for Riley it was easier to stay hidden there.

One thought had come to Riley about these mysterious people and after realising it, little things seemed to prove his assumption. He'd spotted two more of the spies watching him, one of the two had actually seen him while the other had been watching Alec and Max come and go from Jam Pony. They all wear strangely cut clothing though all in the same design, something designed for fighting but more for protection than quick movements. They all felt strange to his senses and the more he thought about it the more he remembered Lydecker's warning about where he came from. These people might be the magic users that he'd been warned about. They'd found him and were watching him, trying to size him up before they came for him.

He'd been quieter than usual since curing Max and even though that hadn't been the reason for his silence that was what the others believed was the reason. Alec might not be as convinced why Riley was being so solitary but he let it go and had spent the last few days spouting random jokes and making lewd comments that normal led the two of them into their more animalistic moods. They were both part feline after all and when the mood took them that was that. Riley couldn't bring himself to tell Alec who he thought the spies were. Alec had promised to help and Riley didn't know whether he wanted to drag Alec into it. He'd always been such a solitary fighter in Manticore, Riley was trained that way, he made schemes and his tactics revolved around just himself, he didn't know how to fit Alec into his plans.

Joshua was to one side of the living room painting a portrait, yet again, of a blind Normal that he had fallen for. His attraction to her had brought endless concern to both Max and Alec but Riley, as always stayed out of it. As long as she didn't find out about Joshua's true form then he didn't care.

"Alec, the boob tube is too loud!" Joshua spoke up suddenly pulling Riley from his musings. Riley looked away from the window he was looking out of and followed Joshua into the kitchen where Alec was watching a music video.

"Why you watch that is beyond me, Alec." Riley commented.

Alec sent a grin over his shoulder but before he could say anything the music cut off violently and the screen turned red as a news bulletin interrupted everything on the TV. "_This is a channel three news bulletin." _The Anchorman told them even as the picture showed an X-4 transgenic, part of the logistical section of the Manticore project. As they watched the X-4 hoisted a Sector Policeman across the screen. "_A hoverdrone recorded this shocking footage. Authorities are refusing to comment on the nature of the assailant. But, as you can see for yourself, the attacker has what can only be described as superhuman strength."_

"Crap." Riley swore.

"This is bad, very bad." Alec agreed. Riley sat on the arm of Alec's chair in a gesture of desire to be closer to his boyfriend. A motion that Alec noticed and understood, he even leaned into Riley in a conscious effort to help him along.

"_The subject, who was described by witnesses as a mutant, refused to comply with police officers on the scene." _The Anchorman continued. "_He is believed to have escaped from what is purported to be a covert government project known as Manticore."_

"How the hell did they get that?" Riley hissed. Who could have told them about Manticore?

"_Authorities have denied all knowledge of Manticore."_ The Anchorman continued to go on but Riley stood up and rather violently swiped at an empty can of soda on the counter top. It flew across the room and dented the wall even as it crumpled under the strength of the blow.

"As if I didn't have enough to worry about!" He hissed again.

"What else do you have to worry about?" Alec was out of the seat instantly.

"Forget it, Alec." Riley sighed and shook his head helplessly at Alec. Even if he had decided to tell Alec about these spies' nature before he definitely couldn't now. Alec, and all other Transgenics, were at risk now.

Alec was in his face in an instant and before Riley could react he had his head between his hands, his fingers laced in his hair. His eyes were wide with worry and panic and Riley didn't know how much was to do with the news report and how much was to do with Riley. "I'll let it slide." He started in a hiss. "For now, but I won't forget!"

With that Alec leant in and kissed him. Joshua drew in a surprised breath but Riley and Alec ignored him in favour of losing themselves in the kiss. Riley felt Alec go boneless and he knew that Alec was really worried about this news. It was simpler for Riley really. He could still quite happily kill anybody that threatened Alec but Alec would feel guilty. That wasn't a weakness that Riley would allow in himself right now.

Riley pulled away after a few minutes before gathering himself together. "What are you going to do?" Alec asked.

"I think White did this. I need to find out where he is and if he has anything else in the workings." Riley told him. Alec sighed but drew himself up.

"I'm coming with you." Alec declared and the two moved into the living room to grab their jackets and Riley's bike keys.

"Lay low." Joshua told them with a concerned look. Riley studied the hybrid but shook his head.

"Is that all you can say?" Alec asked. "Lay low?"

A knock came from the door and instantly Riley pulled his gun from a holster he hid under his t-shirt. He ducked up to the wall and slipped into the hallway. "Joshua? It's me, Annie!" The woman's voice came from the other side of the door and Riley only relaxed when Joshua moved passed him and sent him a bland look. Riley sighed and holstered his gun again.

"Jumpy?" Alec whispered in his ear.

"Bite me." Riley retorted.

"Love to." Alec grinned impishly like he had for the last few days. Riley smacked him lightly on the arm as Joshua opened the door. Both X-5's went into silent mode so that the blind woman couldn't hear them.

Riley frowned at the woman before lowering his voice so that only Alec and Joshua could possibly hear it. "It's not safe for this, Joshua. Send her away. Permanently."

Joshua shoot him a look even as she invited Joshua to go for a walk. Alec spoke quietly. "He's right, Josh. Send her away before she falls in love with you. Before you get yourself killed. Before you get _her_ killed!"

Riley slipped to the side and reached an arm around Alec's waist knowing that Alec was thinking about Rachel and what had happened to her. Alec shot him an unreadable look but nodded. Joshua seemed to understand as well even though he didn't sound happy about it when he spoke up to Annie. "Annie?"

"What's wrong?" She obviously heard the worry in his voice.

"The news." Joshua paused, evidently not as good at lying without the training that Alec and Riley had. "News from back home. I have to go."

"When?" She asked.

"Today." Joshua sighed. Annie looked visibly upset before she told Joshua she'd miss him. "I'll miss you too. Goodbye, Annie."

Joshua went to shut the door but Annie spoke up. "Joshua?" The sound of the door moving back again seemed to be enough of a prompt since she continued. "Would you do something for me?" She reached up with her free hand towards Joshua. "I just want to remember you."

Joshua looked over at Riley and Alec with a blatant plea in his eyes. Riley let go of Alec as he felt his boyfriend shift his weight and let the man move forwards between Joshua and Annie without a sound. Riley watched as the Normal ran her hands over Alec's face memorising his features in the belief that he was Joshua. It was low of them but it would allow her some sense of closure when Joshua left her life.

As the door closed the sense of worry had left the air, replaced with a profound sense of sadness as they were reminded that not only were their lives dangerous but also lonely. Riley hugged Alec's side to remind himself that at least he was lucky and had Alec. Alec smiled over had him obviously realising what Riley was thinking. "Alec? You'd better stay with him. Call Max or something."

"You're going out alone?" Alec looked worried.

"I'll be fine." Riley told him.

"Just… be careful." Alec seemed to be fighting not to force Riley down into a chair to keep him there. "I need you."

Riley smiled at him before leaning in. He kissed the side of Alec's neck before biting slightly. He lifted his head to whisper in his ear. "I love you."

Alec leaned back. "Well that's always good to know." He smiled before leaning in and pecking Riley on the lips. "I love you too." He whispered against Riley's lips.

"Right, really gotta go." Riley drew himself away banishing the reminder that there was a basement under the house out of his imagination. "Be nice to Joshua."

"This coming from Mr. Cold Hearted?" Alec grinned.

"Bite me!" Riley smirked. Alec just gave him a wink before letting Riley slip out of the building.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley spent the rest of the miserable day hunting down White and to his immense irritation he hadn't been able to. He'd been waiting outside White's house, carefully hidden, when he'd noticed two of the spies lurking at the other end of the street. They were slowly moving down the street towards him searching each of the alleyways off of the street. Somehow they knew he was there but not precisely. He'd had to drive away from his stake out and had gone back to Joshua only to find Alec and Max not there.

"Where are Max and Alec?" He asked a miserable Joshua who was painting another portrait of Annie.

Joshua shrugged. "Little Fella went to Logan's. Alec left thirty minutes ago."

Riley thought about leaving straight away but stopped himself. "Joshua?" He asked and waited for the hybrid to look at him. "What do you think of me?"

Joshua frowned at him surprised by the question, when he didn't offer a response Riley continued. "Do you fear me like the others?"

"No." Joshua stared at him.

"When this all hit's the fan I think we're all going to have to find each other and stick together. I don't think the others are going to like me around." Riley told him. "You'll look after Max wont you."

"I'll protect Little Fella." Joshua nodded.

"Good." Riley grinned though he really didn't feel like smiling. "Would you look after Alec for me too?"

"Alec would follow you." Joshua told him.

Riley sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I've brought something else with me and I'm not sure I want Alec risking himself for me."

"Little Fella told me about your relatives." Joshua told him. "Little Fella wants to help you fight the others if they come."

"There is no 'if' in it, Joshua." Riley sighed. "They're already here. I've been seeing them about for four days now and somehow they find me wherever I am."

"Why not tell Little Fella?"

"I don't want her or Alec getting in hit in the crossfire." Riley told him before pointing at the canvas Joshua had been working on. "We all have our own problems to deal with. This is just mine."

"You're wrong." Joshua told him. "Max and Alec should help. I'll protect Max, you protect Alec."

"You're determined, I'll give you that." Riley shook his head. "Do you know where I might find them? I need to warn them they're here at least."

Joshua shrugged. "Try Logan?"

"Thanks, Joshua." Riley nodded before ducking out of the house and to his bike. He dialled Logan's apartment on the way. Logan answer rather quickly. "Logan, it's Riley. Is Max or Alec there?"

"Max was but she went out to be on her own." Logan told him after a moment hesitation.

"Do you know where she went?" Riley asked when further information wasn't forthcoming.

"She goes up onto the Seattle Tower when she needs to be alone." Logan told him after a moments hesitation. "You'll probably find Alec up there too. He called ten minutes ago."

"Thanks, Logan." Riley paused as he got onto his motorbike. "Hey, Logan? Have you heard from Lydecker recently?"

"No. Not since his car went into the river." Logan's frown was obvious in his voice. "What's up?"

"I just need to talk to him about something." Riley sighed. "Without Max or Alec finding out preferably."

"I'll asked a few of my contacts if they've heard anything." Logan offered.

"Thanks, Logan." Riley almost hung up for a second time before thinking of something else. "I take it you plan on another series of hacks about this exposure?"

"I think people need to see the other side of this. Your side." Logan told him.

"Well, just be careful." Riley told him.

"I always am." Logan told him.

"This time you'll be going directly against White and he'll stop you at any cost." Riley told him. "Just be like me, have plenty of alternate plans ready in case."

"I already have two." Logan told him.

"Then get another two." Riley told him before hanging up.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The Seattle Tower was a rather derelict structure. It would cost the city too much to revamp it but for Riley it was an easy climb up onto the roof. He couldn't sense any presences in the tower but his eyes had picked out a figure sitting on the edge as he was driving through the city.

When he got up onto the roof he found that Max had been joined by Alec and the two sat in silence near the edge of the sloped roof. Riley scuffed his foot subtly on the top of the roof before walking towards them. Alec barely glanced at him but Max turned fully to the side to watch him.

"You know I come up here for peace and quiet." Max announced.

"Did I say anything?" Riley asked before flopping down on the roof behind Alec. He let his legs fall to either side of his boyfriend before pulling Alec up against his chest. Alec leaned into Riley and he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's wait and felt Alec's hands settled over his own.

"How did you even find me?" She asked them both.

"Logan." Alec shrugged. Riley laughed to tell her it was the same for him.

"I'm going to have to have a word with that guy." Max sighed before turning back to look out over the vista. It was the middle of the night and the lights from the city lit up the area. From here all three of them could make out everyone in direct line of sight from their position. "So did you guys actually want to say anything?"

"We're in this together?" Alec offered with a smirk as he snuggled his head against the underside of Riley's chin.

"Well that's good to know." Max told them.

"Are we, Riley?" Alec surprised them both by asking. "Are we in this together?"

"What's he talking about?" Max asked him with a frown of confusion. Alec twisted his head up to look directly in Riley's eyes and Riley knew instantly that Alec knew whatever he had been hiding was about the spies.

"They've come for me." Riley sighed. Alec bolted up away from him and turned to look at him. "I'm guessing you didn't realise who the spies actually were then?"

Alec shook his head mutely. Riley fell back against the roof looking up at the stars over head. "What are you two talking about?"

"The Wizards." Alec told her sharply. "How many?"

"I've seen four in total. The first was when you were arrested." Riley said without looking at them. "Then the one I pointed out to you. Then two more watching my flat over the last day and then the same two showed up when I was watching White's house not more than an hour ago."

"How do they keep finding you?" Alec was seriously worried by this. He'd been tasked with hunting Riley before and he'd only ever managed it once and that was only because Riley had been ambushed by four other X-5's in the training mission and his leg had been broken.

"I don't know." Riley sighed. "Why does this have to happen now?"

"You should have told us when you first realised." Max told him.

"I didn't want to have to get you involved." Riley told them with faked determination. Alec saw right through it and rolled out from between Riley's legs. He scooted up the roof to cuddle into Riley's sighed and placed a hand calmingly over Riley's chest. Max didn't seem to mind the display.

"Whatever happens, I'm in it with you." Alec declared.

"Me too." Max agreed. "I think you should get hold of the others too. I'm sure they'd help."

"Do you think?" Riley asked her hope shining in his eyes. An emotion which surprised Max when it came from him. He'd always worn a resigned, angry or cold expression except for the amused and tolerant one he wore when Alec was playing around.

"Yes." Max told him. "If not then I'll damn well punch them in the nose."

Riley laughed at the reminder of what he'd done to Zack and decided that as soon as he could he'd try to track them down. He'd have to wait for things to settle in the city first though which probably wouldn't happen anytime soon.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	14. Annie

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 14; Annie

**Joshua's house**

Riley stared out of the window from the back to the Kitchen knowing that he could see the Wizard lurking up in the building across the street but that the spy couldn't see him at all. "Something interesting or am I just not that nice a pillow anymore?" Alec asked from the doorway. Riley hadn't even heard him wake up or move through the house.

"There's a Wizard out there again." Riley told him simply. "He'll probably leave in a half hour to report or whatever it is that they do."

Alec paused next to Riley and looked out of the window. "Small blond guy in the top left window?" Alec asked before tugging Riley into his side.

"That's the one." Riley nodded letting himself relax into Alec feeling rather disappointed that Alex had put a t-shirt on. Riley still wasn't wearing one. "This one looks slightly younger than the others. Our age maybe. I saw him two days ago as well."

"They don't try to talk to you or anything?"

"I don't think they even think I know they're there." Riley laughed. "If magic is real then surely they have ways of making themselves less obvious."

"Anything new on the box?" Alec asked. Riley shook his head and shrugged. "You need to learn the pleasures of the TV, Riley."

"Why do I need to get pleasure from a TV when I have you around?" Riley asked with so little hesitation that Alec coughed and almost laughed. He shouldn't have been surprised, Riley had been acting primal for the last two days. His physical response was a bit faster though as he spun around Riley so they were face to face.

"I can definitely accept that idea." Alec grinned and pushed them flush together and kissed Riley on the neck. Riley felt his feline nature come to the fore as it always did for the both of them in these moments and he could smell, taste and feel every small detail about Alec from the temperature of his hands on his bare sides to the pressure building up between their hips. Alec's hand trailed down Riley's front as they lost each other in the moment and his hand slipped into Riley's trousers and gripped him firmly. Riley groaned but a cough made them both look up towards the door.

"Hi, Joshua." Alec offered but didn't move away from Riley who bit him in the side of the neck.

"Cats." Joshua growled and turned his back. Alec gave Riley a sorrow filled look before pulling out his hand. Riley groaned and licked Alec's neck where he'd bitten it before hoisting himself up onto the counter and lifting up a leg to make himself more comfortable. Alec was obviously having more trouble covering his arousal within his trousers.

"Alec, forget it. He can smell us as much as we can smell it on each other." Riley laughed. "Sorry, Joshua, we got kind of carried away."

"Cats get carried away." Joshua nodded and turned back around and crossed the kitchen. Riley reached out and stroked the back of his ear as he stopped to pull out a cereal box from the cupboard. Joshua tilted his head and mumbled happily.

"Dogs." Alec laughed. "I'm getting jealous over here."

Riley laughed and hopped off of the counter and crossed the kitchen pulling milk from the fridge before sitting himself down at the other side of the counter next to his boyfriend. He put the milk down before slipping his hand down under the counter and putting it directly onto his boyfriend's groin. Alec shivered and only just stopped any sound from escaping.

Joshua made himself a bowl of cereal before leaving the room. Riley sighed as he watched him leave. He'd been moping around like a kicked puppy for the entire week now, ever since he'd told Annie he had to leave. Riley gave his boyfriend one last squeeze that made him groan before putting his hands on top of the counter to pour himself some cereal. Alec sighed and shot Riley an evil look before pouring milk into the bowl and picking up a spoon.

"Later maybe." Riley told him.

"You're not planning on anything today?" Alec asked.

"Not with Joshua like this, I think it best if one of us stays here and Max said you should be set for work today." Riley told him.

"Oh great. Work." Alec rolled his eyes before helping himself to more of their shared cereal. Riley laughed. "How is it I can go back today?"

"No clue. When I offered to do something about the records Max told me she already had a plan sorted out." Riley shrugged. "It's best you get back there anyway or people will start getting suspicious."

"I'd rather spend my days here with you, rutting it out." Alec told him with a smirk.

"Later, Alec." Riley laughed. "Right now we need to get dressed before Max arrives and smells this on us."

"Smells what?" Alec looked offended.

Riley leaned in and softly began nipping at his throat before trailing his tongue up around Alec's ear getting an actual purr from him. "That smell."

Alec laughed and winced smelling the arousal on them both. "Right."

"Unless you want Max smelling this on you?" Riley laughed at Alec's horrified look.

Once they were both washed and showered Riley sat in the large chair that Joshua usually read in and curled his legs up in front of him. Alec joined them a while later wearing loose clothing in careful contrast to the cotton trousers he slept in that left little to the imagination after what he and Riley had been doing in the kitchen that morning.

Alec studied the pictures in the room and the one Joshua was currently working on. He'd done drawings of Annie, the blind woman, all week and there was little chance of any of the three of them forgetting her face even without their photographic memories. Alec was about to say something when Max walked in with a bag of groceries even though Riley made sure they were well stocked on food and supplies.

Joshua looked up at her. "Hey, little fella." He greeted with something like his usual upbeat tone.

"Hey, big fella." Max returned with a smile.

"I guess that makes me medium fella?" Alec asked with a grin. Riley smiled at him from across the room but didn't move or speak up, he knew Max knew he was there.

"Got you some food and stuff." Max told Joshua and hefted the bag up for him.

"Did you get those little pretzels I asked for?" Alec begged trying to see into the bag. Riley almost laughed at the timid look he was putting on. Riley hated the smell of the pretzels, like mouldy wood, and refused to buy them for Alec. Max slapped his hand away from the bag with a small reprimand.

"Max, come on!" Alec whined. "I'm stuck here, innocent man, framed for the murders committed by his clone. Yeah, I'm thinking about selling the story to Hollywood. It'd make a great TV movie, don't you think?"

"Alec?" Riley spoke up making his boyfriend turn to look at him. "Come here and shut up."

Max chuckled but then laughed outright as Alec did as ordered and slipped down on Riley's lap as soon as Riley straightened out. Riley kissed the side of his neck making him groan again. His left hand stroked the back of Alec's ear.

"Guys, I don't need to see this." Max told them.

"Doing it for two days." Joshua growled.

"It's not all me, it's Riley that keeps doing it without warning." Alec whined but the sound turned into a small groan as Riley bite his neck.

"It's not exactly my fault either." Riley put his head back and grabbed Alec's hands in his own to stop them from straying. "It's Manticore's fault."

"Oh!" Max's eyes widened.

"Not that I really mind." Alec grinned. "Unfortunately he seems to be very good at turning me into a pile of mush."

"Here." Max offered him a brown envelope. "Maybe this will keep your mind off of it."

"What's this?" Alec asked pulling two forms from the envelope.

"Fake birth certificate showing you had a twin brother and a fake passport showing you were out of the country at the time of the murders." Max grinned.

"This ought to be enough to clear the charges." Alec grinned. "Thanks Max."

"You owe me twenty-five hundred bucks." Max chuckled. "Logan's guy's the best in the business."

"How's you and Logan?" Riley asked. He hadn't really seen Logan since he'd done the transfusion for Max. He'd seen plenty of his hacks in the last week though. Four in total that Riley had been trying to trace to make sure Logan was still in the clear. So far he didn't think anybody had the equipment needed but when somebody did try to trace it Riley would be there and ready to try to block it.

"Better." Max's smile lit up the room.

"I really don't want to know." Alec groaned but Riley knew he was happy for her.

"Come on, Alec. Get dressed. Twenty-five hundred is a lot of deliveries." Max gestured. Riley reluctantly let Alec's get up to grab his stuff and instantly felt cold once his boyfriend was out of the room. "What about you and Alec? You two doing ok?" Max asked.

Riley looked at her and nodded. "We're happy."

"You two..." Max paused. "Are you permanent?"

Riley chuckled at his sister. "As your official older brother I can tell you quite honestly that we're ridiculously in love with each other."

Max smiled at him. "What have you been doing? I haven't really seen you around."

"Several things really. I traced the last location of one of Zack's phone messaging boxes. It's a week old now but it means I would have a place to start if I needed to track him down." Riley smirked. "I've been watching those twits who are spying on me. There's one just outside the building at the moment."

"How many now?" Max asked worriedly.

"I've seen six different ones and I'm very close to deciding to kidnap one of them." Riley told her. "Oh and I can't forget I've got myself a computer set up back in the bedroom that I've been using to try to trace the Eyes-Only broadcasts."

"You've what?" Max cried looking rather shocked.

"Call it counter-intelligence. I've almost managed it with the system I have and if I do manage it Logan needs to pack up and move. Also whenever I'm hacking into them there's a good chance that if anybody else tries it I'll notice and either try to block them or find out who they are."

"You're protecting Logan?" Max asked.

"I've given up trying to convince you that he's a weak link, Max." Riley gave her a gentle smile. "And I suppose I don't really believe that myself anymore but he can't get himself out of a tight spot like we can and he'll need all the warning I can give him."

"Thanks, Riley." Max hugged him without letting him stand up. "Uh, can I ask you to keep an eye out on Joshua today?"

"I was going to anyway. In the state I'm in at the moment I don't particularly want to be strolling around on my own." Riley winced. "Today's the last of my three days and I don't really want to accost some bloke in the street."

Max laughed. "I've been there."

"Oh, tell Logan to call me at some point. I've got the set up here and the hard drive space so if he wants to back up his files just in case tell him he can." Riley told her.

"You're not going to jump him if he comes over are you?" Max asked.

"There's as much chance of that me jumping Logan as me jumping Joshua." Riley told her. "No offence man." Riley added to Joshua who'd half been listening to their conversation.

"Cats." Joshua growled.

"That's what he's been saying for two days." Riley laughed and shoed Max off after Alec entered. Alec kissed Riley quickly before backing off before Riley could think of doing anything else. "I'll see you later."

"See ya, love." Alec grinned and slipped out with Max behind him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

Riley watched as the trace signal went dead somewhere around sector four and was satisfied that nobody could have located Logan's hack. He'd also managed to over complicate anybody else's attempts at tracing Logan by leaving a small trail of his own. Leading into somewhere in Sector one. Riley shut down his laptop with a sigh and stretched before heading to the window. He glanced out across the street but his senses knew that none of those spies were around at the moment.

Riley walked through the house pulling a t-shirt over his head. He'd felt stifled in the bedroom and he was no better at the moment. He was feeling hot and irritable. He found Joshua painting yet another portrait of Annie and sighed as he stopped beside it.

"Cat doesn't look good." Joshua told him.

"Cat doesn't _feel_ good." Riley told him and ran his hand through his hair. His forehead was hot to the touch and he knew his ears were burning. It always went through this stage before it ended. In Manticore they'd have locked him in his room but out here it was a different matter.

"Cat needs to sleep." Joshua told him.

"Cat needs more than that." Riley muttered. Joshua gave him an odd look and Riley shook his head to tell him to forget about it. "Maybe I will try to get some sleep. Logan should be here soon so just send him through would you?"

Joshua stopped painting to look at Riley, it was the first time he actually looked overly worried about Riley and the X-5 found himself grateful. He reached out and stroked Joshua behind the ear again. "I'll be fine Joshua. Maybe you should read a book or something though. Max doesn't like seeing you like this and she has a lot else on her mind." It was a cheap trick but if anything could get Joshua to distract himself it was playing on his concern for Max.

Riley left the room to the kitchen to drown himself in water and smirked as Joshua sat in the chair with one of Sandeman's books in his hands. Riley slipped into his room, left the door ajar, pulled off his shirt and flopped back onto the bed to try to sleep, forcing his mind away from the sexual images that wanted to fill his imagination. He used his Manticore training to lower his breathing and heartbeat and cheated his way into sleep.

_Riley ran forwards across the snow with it dragging at his lower legs. The foot deep snow barely slowed him but it made running across the irregular ground of this stretch of the assault course rather tricky. As he ran, his partner for the exercise ran at his side. Ben was his match in size so the two ran together. Max and Eve ran about five paces behind them and then Zack and Seth were behind them._

_Ben's foot came down on one of the stumble blocks which were normally childsplay to dodge but with the snow they were invisible until you hit them. He stumbled as his foot hi__t solid ground earlier then he'd__ expected but Riley grabbed his elbow and balanced him faster than the instructors could see the mistake._

_"Get moving X5-862!" One of the Instructors yelled and Riley knew that their slight stumble, while missed, had closed the gap between them and the rest of their team. Riley lurched forwards as they reached the wall and though the snow tried to hold him down he managed to leap up and grab the top of the wall with his hands before vaulting up onto the top. He sat __as__tr__ide it even as Ben leapt up__ and sat opposite him. His face__ flashed with an emotion that couldn't be read by any other but his family. Gratitude. If he'd fallen on that block or even been noticed tripping on it he'd have spent the night in solitude. Riley flashed one of his rare smiles though it was little more than a twitch of his lips just before the two of them reached down and hoisted Max and Eve up over the wall and onto the floor on the other side._

The door to the bedroom creaked open but Riley didn't need that sound to hear the shoes on the old carpet or the Normal's breathing and he woke instantly. He sat up and stared at Logan as he shook the remnants of the dream from his head.

"Dreaming?" Logan asked.

"I suppose." Riley told him checking his watch. He'd been asleep an hour. He was still feverish though so it hadn't broken.

"Anything interesting?" Logan asked obviously attempting to make some sort of conversation.

"Just remembering a training exercise at Manticore." Riley explained and Logan winced. "It was actually a nice one. Me, Max, Zack, Seth...Eve and Ben, working together on the obstacle course."

"Oh." Logan smiled at the slightly wishful look on Riley's face but the look vanished quickly.

"That was two weeks before Lydecker shot Eve." Riley spoke up and got out of bed and pulled the curtains open wide and opened the window. His senses told him that the area was clear of the distinctive impression left by the Wizard spies.

"You don't look so good." Logan frowned as the gloom of the room was shattered by the fresh air and sunlight.

"You ever seen Max when she's in heat?" Riley asked bluntly. "Well, me and Alec go through the same sort of thing. It screws with are biosensors and mucks up our temperatures and...well other things."

"I think I get the idea." Logan looked ready to laugh. "I'm sure Alec's not complaining."

"Laugh and you'll find out how it feels to have your nose broken." Riley warned. "It also makes us overly violent and irritable."

"Right." Logan nodded. "When's the next time you go through it and I'll jot it into my diary?"

"Really funny, Logan." Riley glared before opening and starting up his laptop. He switched on the other eight pieces of equipment he'd set up in the room and soon there was a low buzz in the room as fans kicked in.

"Nice set up." Logan whistled. "What did it cost you? I should owe you something if I end up having to use it."

"You don't owe me anything." Riley told him.

"But if I back up my files here...?" Logan trailed off.

"It didn't cost me anything." Riley told him as he started the trace software he'd used and brought up the results of his last trace. "It wasn't doing all that much for its old owner."

"Bad guy right?" Logan asked.

"Yeah." Riley looked at him. "You're not as fun to bait anymore, Logan. That or your morals have taken a dive."

"What's this?" Logan eyed the screen recognising the tracing software as one of the best. If the user was exceptionally skilled and fast. So perfect for a transgenic like Riley to use.

"The result of the trace I was running on your last hack." Riley told him. "I only needed maybe five more seconds to have it down to sector."

"I didn't detect a trace." Logan frowned.

"I've been tracing all of your hacks this week." Riley told him. "And I'm as subtle as hackers can be. Though the trail I've been leaving in my hacks could take a few weeks to sort out."

"You're tracing me, why?" Logan asked.

"Because then we've got an idea how long until somebody else manages it." Riley told him. "Plus all the time I'm linked in I might be able to pick up anybody else trying to track you, find out who they are and stop them."

"You're actually outright helping me?" Logan asked.

"Oh, get your jaw off the floor, Logan." Riley rolled his eyes. "I've been bored."

Logan laughed. "What did you say about a trail?"

"I've been subtle only in searching for you but I've left rather a large trail to me though that would be the me in Sector One." Riley told him. "Not going to help anybody else out that much though and it will inevitably lead anybody looking for you to Sector One."

"Where in Sector One?" Logan asked.

Riley turned on him with a nasty grin. "White's house."

Logan stared at him in shock before a smirk spread across his face. "So I've got something you might like to see."

Riley pushed back away from the table and drunk from a glass on his nightstand. He turned back and gestured at a hard drive tower on the right full of drives. Logan slipped a small disk into the drive and it booted up. "You really look rather feverish, Riley. Maybe you should get some more sleep."

"I'm fine, Logan." Riley told him. "I still have more kick in me than a normal human and it'll only last until the morning at the most."

"Poor Alec." Logan laughed and opened the file.

"Sod off." Riley told him grumpily before focusing on the video being shown. It was the same one as what the police had been showing. The Transgenic being shot down at the police compound except this time it was from the beginning showing the police brutality.

"I got this because I was going to play the first bit on a hack and I still will probably but something else caught my eye." Logan started to explain but Riley had already seen something interesting.

"There at the back." Riley pointed as an expensive car slowly pulling out away from the scene regardless of the rather loud commotion anybody else would have watched. "Who's car is that?"

"You're fast. It took me four runs to see that." Logan nodded and hit a key to change the video to a still of the car's wing mirror. Riley narrowed his eyes at the man in the picture. White.

"Well that proves White's in on the exposure." Riley shook his head and closed the video. "Here something for you to look at." He pulled up a series of ten data recordings from a hack into the telephone exchange of Channel Three news.

"What's this?" Logan asked sitting himself on the bed behind Riley. Riley turned to look at him.

"The sum of two of my projects." Riley told him. "I was trying to hack into White's Cell without success and trying to find out why Channel Three are the ones always getting the new scoop on Manticore. Things I know they couldn't have had before this hit the fan. These are recordings of White calling a news desk in Channel Three's head building and telling a man all about Transgenics."

"So he's actively trying to stir up trouble." Logan sighed.

"He's only ever telling them the worst things as well. He's trying to cause outright panic which brings me to your safety." Riley paused at Logan's surprised look about how this could involve him. "Your hacks are trying to smooth over the panic that White wants to feed. Eventually he's going to get annoyed and want to take you out of the picture."

"I'd better call Max." Logan grunted before pulling out his cell and pressing one of the speed dials. Riley laughed at his instantaneous concern for Max before sliding back onto his bed and curling up on his side. He pulled Alex's pillow into his chest and breathed in his boyfriend's sent. He let his eyes fall closed and slipped into sleep. He'd leave Logan to back up his files in peace.

He woke briefly when Logan left the room but ignored it easily and dropped back off into a fitful sleep. When he next woke it was to the feeling of the bed dipping down slightly. His senses told him nobody was there and since he doubted Max would be trying to get onto his bed with him he didn't bother to react against them. Alec obviously knew this since he let himself fall directly on top of Riley. Alec's familiar lips met his own and Riley groaned.

"This way of getting me up I could get used to." Riley told him finally opening his eyes and found Alec's laughing eyes hanging just above him.

**(Skip this bit if you don't like Slash scenes.)**

"Oh, I could come up with a few more ways of getting you up." Alec smirked.

"In this mood I'd let you do anything you wanted." Riley told him.

"I know." Alec grinned before grinding his hips down onto Riley's groin. Riley hissed as his growing erection grinded against Alec's obvious arousal. Riley bite down on Alec's neck as Alec lost himself in their movements. Riley purred sending vibrations through Alec's neck and spine. His hands came up onto his boyfriend's back and his fingers duck into Alec's bare back forcing their chests together.

He hadn't even noticed that Alec had taken off his shirt before waking him but Riley really didn't care as he let his boyfriend take advantage of his lowered inhibitions. With a muffled cry Riley came, groaning into Alec's shoulder. A few seconds later Alec stiffened up and dropped his head into Riley's neck letting a satisfied purr rumble through his chest.

**(End of scene)**

Riley kissed a trail up Alec's neck to his ear. "Thanks for that." He whispered quietly before realising it was rather dark out. "What time is it?"

"After ten." Alec told him. "I called after work because Max and I went to Crash but you didn't answer."

"My phone is in the kitchen." Riley's groan had nothing to do with his phone. "I slept for six hours."

"Wow, you must have really been out of it." Alec chuckled shifting their hips apart. Riley hissed but was glad because if Alec stayed on him for much longer they'd have to continue. Riley turned on his side and hugged Alec to him. "You're still a bit feverish though."

"I'll be back to normal in a few hours." Riley told him.

"And in the mean time?" Alec asked.

"I could find something to do I suppose." Riley grinned mischievously before kissing a trail up Alec's chest and throat letting Alec's purrs vibrate through them both. It would be an interesting few hours at least.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Alec went to work the next morning quite early and Riley left the house empty knowing that on the odd occasion Joshua skulked through the sewers for exercise. It wasn't until he stopped to buy some breakfast that he heard the man behind the counter talking about the 'wolfman' abducting a blind woman named Annie. He only swore and actually left the shop before he'd gotten his food.

He stopped two policemen with his federal pass to find out what was happening and though they found it odd that a Federal Agent was unaware of what was happening they happily told him where the police operation was taking place. Riley drove there on his bike though he left the bike some way away before jogging up to the site. The only way to describe it was a circus. There had to be three hundred Normals being held out of the street by fifty police officers. A slightly longer look could have given him more exact numbers but he didn't really bother.

Two things caught his eye though. On the far side of the crowd was Ames White watching the scene in amusement while he slowly ate an ice-cream. But on Riley's side of the cordoned off area was Logan's car with two people inside though Riley could only sense one of them.

Riley also felt the shiver up his spine that told him somebody was watching him. Somebody that stood out on his sensors. In fact there were two of them about a block behind him. He ducked into the crowd and making sure his followers couldn't have seen him he opened the back door of Logan's car and slid in. He pulled his hood up over his head and leaned forwards between the seats.

"Hiding from somebody?" Logan asked.

"Uh...yeah." Riley nodded.

"One of _them_?" Alec asked worriedly.

"Two." Riley shook his head. "They're behind us and coming up. I lost them."

"Who?" Logan asked.

"Ask Max." Riley told him and looked over Logan's set up. "GPS trackers?"

"Yeah." Logan nodded before pointing at an interchange in the schematic of sewers. "Max was here last time she called. Joshua took Annie down there when three guys tried to attack him. The Sector Cops have him blocked in with nowhere to run."

"Is White still out there?" Alec asked. "I had him for a time but he moved behind that truck and I don't want to get out and have him see me."

"He was on the other side." Riley nodded. "Looks like he's enjoying it."

"Bastard." Alec grunted. Riley leaned around and kissed him on the side of the head to calm him down and got a smile in return.

"Are you feeling up to this today, Riley?" Logan asked after Riley turned back to the front.

"I'm good as new. Thanks for the concern." Riley told him. "Look, the way I see it, once Max finds Joshua you can lead them out and you'll need Alec to take out the guards watching their exit."

"That's the plan." Logan nodded.

"Well I see one flaw." Riley told him. "Max is one person against thirty or so cops. I'm going down there."

"Are you sure?" Logan asked.

"Once I'm away from here I'll be able to sense everybody down there. All I need to do is track anybody moving in a way that the sector cops wouldn't and I'll find Joshua." Riley told him. "We need to hurry. Max is going to run into cops at some point and if words gets back to White that she is down there then he's going to get involved and he isn't a nice person to get in a fight with."

"We know." Logan nodded. "Selectively bred to be superior."

Riley grunted. He'd already heard the story from Max. "Well I've felt his strength so I'm not leaving this up to chance. I'll call you if I need anything otherwise don't call me. It'll only mess with my concentration."

Alec kissed him soundly and wished him luck before Riley made sure he had the layout of the sewers memorised and a route to the nearest secluded entrance in his head before he slipped out of the car and down the street. He'd have to enter almost half a mile away but once he was below street level he'd find it easy to track all of them without the mess on the surface getting in the way.

The two Guards at the drain entrance didn't cause a problem. He was tempted to use his pass to get around them but was worried that they'd call it in on suspicion and White would hear about it. In the end he just hit them on the back of the head with his pistol, hid them nearby and then dropped down the sewer entrance.

He landed silently on the grimy stones of the tunnel system and crouched low listening for movement nearby and then paying attention to his senses. Two people about eight metres through the left wall, another two twenty metres to his right, he could hear chatting a few turns behind him. He painstakingly worked his way out only paying attention to what was at his own level which was hard to do with so many people on the surface right over the middle of the operational area but he'd been trained to do this. To sit in the middle of a hunt and direct his team mates to hunt down targets using only his sense as a guide.

He knew that the cops would always be in pairs, if one of the GPS trackers separated and became separate Alec would call and tell him so when he found three separate signals he knew he should be interested. Max would be on her own but Riley couldn't sense her so he could only guess that one was Joshua and one Annie, though he didn't know why Joshua would have separated from her. The third one was a mystery though. One was close to him on his right and ahead of him about fifty metres, his memory told him he'd have to take a right and then a left to reach it and Riley slipped forwards along the tunnels thanking the sense of perception that his advanced genetics gave him.

All the time he was moving he was following the movements of the other separate forms, one hadn't moved from where he'd first detected it while the other had moved out towards the outskirts of the controlled zone. As Riley came up to the last turn he slipped into a shadow knowing that soon one of the separate signals would pass him.

He almost groaned in irritation as Sketchy, Max's friend, walked passed him completely obliviously. That guy was seriously going to get himself in trouble one of these days. Riley waited for him to pass and turn a corner before he slipped off towards the next closest of the separate signals, he had to hide three times from police patrols but that wasn't particularly hard for somebody who could jump up and hide in the piping that lined the arched roof.

The second signal turned out to be Annie. She was standing bolt upright against the wall just a few paces from one of the junctions and Riley walked towards her utterly silently without even a breath to alert her. He doubted she'd be able to hear him even if she was a Transgenic. "Annie?" He asked from directly in front of her. She made to scream and Riley covered her mouth quickly. Maybe he shouldn't have surprised her. He twisted her around as she tried to struggle placing his back to the wall and holding her against his chest with his hand still over her mouth as she tried to call out for help. "Be still woman! I'm a friend of Joshua!"

She calmed slightly and he slowly took his hand away from her mouth. "Are you like him?" She asked suspiciously.

"Not exactly." Riley sighed and let her go, he slipped passed her and into the corridor even as she took a step away from him and turned to where he'd been. When he spoke up again he was talking to her back and she jumped around again. "I'm similar. Just less obvious. I look human, a different model I suppose."

"From Manticore?" She still didn't sound convinced.

"Right." Riley nodded pointlessly. "We've met before actually. I was standing behind him when he told you about having to go home because of news from Manti Cora."

"Was it your face I felt?" She asked with a slight glare.

"No." He told her. "That was Alec's. Another one of us. My name's Riley."

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"I heard that Joshua had kidnapped a blind woman and figuring he hadn't done it to hurt you so I came to help. A friend of mine is working to get him clear of the police but I'm here to get you out to safety." Riley told her. "Can you trust me enough for that?"

"You knew his name." Annie nodded. "How could you know that if you didn't know him and you could have already hurt me."

"Joshua has Canine DNA in his own." Riley told her and stepped up to her side, she tracked his voice. "Alec and I have Feline DNA in ours. That makes us very fast and quiet when we want to be."

"You look like a cat?" She asked.

Riley actually laughed warming up to her more than he'd admit. He took her hand and lifted it to his face in permission and she slowly traced the side of his face with her fingers. "I look just as human as you do. Just as Alec did when we tricked you."

"People won't like that." Annie told him quietly and dropped her hand to her side.

"Well we didn't have much choice in it when they created us." Riley told her with the bitterness clear in his voice. "Follow me." He pulled out his phone as they went and called Alec's cell and told him quickly that he had Annie and would get her out safely. Alec didn't try to prolong the conversation but told him that Max had Joshua and they were on their way to pick her up. Riley told him to head back to Joshua's house and he'd meet them there with Annie later.

Her hand came up and Riley took it in his own to guide her back through the tunnels heading for his start point. "There are people approaching." She told him with a pause at an interchange.

"I don't trust the Sector Cops, if we can't help it I'll give you to them but I'd rather get you to safety without them." Riley told her. He continued along the route guiding her through the tunnels as he used his memorised schematic along with his senses to find clear routes. He stopped with a groan as he realised at once that they were trapped. A single person was coming up behind them, possibly Sketchy, but in front were two cops and to the right of the next junction were another two.

"We're surrounded?" Annie asked.

"I'll hand you over to them." Riley told her. "I'm sorry I couldn't see you out myself."

"They won't arrest you?" Annie asked.

"I have a Federal ID. They'll think I'm a cop willing to give them the credit for saving you." Riley told her before pulling her forwards. They were just coming up to the junction when a voice spoke up from behind him. Riley's senses screamed at him as they detected a threat and he stilled but didn't let go of Annie.

"That's far enough." White's voice met his ears and he hissed in anger. The bastard was down here and Riley had thought he was Sketchy.

"When I let go of your arm duck and get to the wall on your right. There's a ladder ten metres on the left up the tunnel." Riley told her in a whisper as White walked up behind them. Riley really didn't want to start a fight when he was protecting a blind woman.

"Who the hell are you?" White asked but they were interrupted as both of the police search teams turned the corner and came right onto them.

"Don't move!" One cop shouted and Riley had four automatic weapons aimed at him.

"This is the blind girl." Riley reported to the cops feeling White's gun aimed at his head. "I found her wandering around."

"Put your weapon on the ground and identify yourself!" The Cop ordered and Riley saw he was talking to White too.

"I'm a federal agent." White moved and Riley could hear him showing his badge. "I tracked this man down here. He's a wanted man. He's holding her hostage against me."

Two of the cops moved around Riley and Annie to inspect White's badge but Riley would never get away with trying the same thing. He could stall this though. "In my back pocket is a Federal ID. That man is lying." Riley told the cop in front of him.

"You're both Feds now right?" The man laughed humourlessly. "Nice try. We'll take them both up to base and see what they have to say up there."

"What's his name?" White suddenly sounded very suspicious and didn't seem to notice that by asking Riley's name he'd just blown his own cover story. The Cop moved closer to Riley and Riley tensed but still didn't take his hand off of Annie's arm knowing it was the signal of a fight. He reached around and slid Riley's ID from inside his pocket and then looked at the name. He tucked it back into Riley's pocket and took a step back.

"Riley Faedren." The Cop told him. "And yours?"

"You're supposed to be dead!" White hissed. "I saw your body."

Riley heard the movement as White brought a second gun out and Riley let go of Annie. They both ducked and Riley blurred as he jumped up into the air and flipped over backwards so that White's bullet fired off harmlessly down the tunnel. Riley spared a fleeting glance at Annie who was huddled against the wall before Riley had to move again as White smacked the gun into one of the Cops heads and kicked the other. Another bullet was fired at Riley but he rolled across the tunnel.

He pulled his own gun as he rolled and aimed it at White who was too busy diving for cover to notice. Riley's shot tore through his arm even as the cops shot at both of them. Riley had to jump for cover himself and two more shots heralded the deaths of the two cops still fighting as White shot them cleanly in the chests.

Riley stood slowly. "Get out of here Annie." Riley whispered loud enough for the blind woman to hear him. She seemed too scared to do anything though.

"How are you still alive?" White asked as he lifted the gun to point at Riley.

"You forgot to ask me one thing when I was pretending to work for you." Riley sneered. "What makes me so good at my job? I'm better than the other X-5s."

"Freaks." White snapped.

Riley ducked forwards and in three blurred steps and a bullet passing clear of his side he had White's gun clattering against the ground. His own gun was knocked away before he could react though and he jumped back to get clear of White's punch. "You didn't realise that I managed to save a dozen Transgenics from you while I was working for you?" Riley teased.

"And sent how many to their deaths?" White sneered.

Riley glared. "Only one person counts now, White, and that's you. I couldn't fight back last time so let's see what you have."

Riley darted forwards and span and kicked White in the stomach. White reared backwards with a gasp but Riley was shocked to simply see anger flash through his eyes. Riley had forgotten what Max had told him. He didn't feel pain like Riley did.

White lashed out far quicker than Riley had seen him do before and Riley realised he'd seriously underestimated him. Riley dodged the blow but got punched in the chest for his efforts. The fight went on in that fashion. Riley got in far more hits that White did but White was built like a tank and no matter a Panther's prowess in battle, a cat just couldn't kill a metal fortress.

White kicked him hard in the shins and Riley flinched backwards having to favour his other leg wondering whether his leg was fractured or not. Riley punched White square in the face and happily heard a crack as the man's nose broke but White barely flinched and slammed the side of his hand into Riley's sternum. Riley felt his ribs snap under the blow and let out a groan as his eyes blurred under the blow that would have crushed the heart of a normal man.

"Pitiful." White sneered regardless of the fact that Riley had beaten him black and blue and probably hospitalised him if it wasn't for the fact he could operate around the pain whereas the pain Riley was in was enough to keep him on his knees for a moment. White would have blurred to any normal human but to Riley he saw the attack coming but didn't have the control needed to roll backwards at White's foot connected with the side of his head. Riley blacked out as his body slammed into the wall of the tunnel and crumpled backwards.

Riley woke a moment later as a gun shot rang down the tunnel. Riley dimly thought that he wouldn't have felt the bullet enter him in his current state but saw that White was standing over the second of the remaining two cops unconscious on the ground. White turned slightly and fired again putting a bullet in the last cop's head.

A small cry of fear sounded from opposite Riley and he painfully move his blurred eyes to see Annie still huddled on the other side of the tunnel. He'd almost forgotten about her. "It's alright, miss." White told her as he holstered his gun and lifted Annie to her feet. She struggled against him. "You're safe now."

White looked at Riley and sneered as their eyes met. "You're about to bring the world to its knees in panic." White laughed and in a quick movement he grabbed Annie and snapped her neck killing her in an instant. Riley gritted his teeth and growled low in his throat even though it sent pain through him. He forced himself up pushing his back into the wall but his legs were going through spasms and couldn't hold his weight properly and he fell into a sitting position.

White dropped Annie's lifeless body to the floor and laughed at Riley's glaring eyes. "It's a real shame you're more useful running around the streets, 862, or I'd kill you now."

"You're better off killing me unless you want to have to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life." Riley spat blood on the floor and tried to still his muscles.

"I wouldn't be the one threatening right now if I were you." White laughed but was cut off by the sound of running feet. He grumbled something under his breath before slipping off into the shadows of an adjoining tunnel. Riley shivered but knew he wouldn't be able to get the strength back in time to run. Instead he concentrated on slowing his breathing enough to fake unconsciousness when they found him. He knew his finger prints were all over the gun on the floor and he knew the police would assume he killed the cops and Annie but he could escape when he was stronger.

He gave Annie's body one last sorrow filled look before letting his eyes shut. He didn't want to imagine what the last moments of her life had been like. A blind woman surrounded by darkness with only gun fire, death and fighting to herald her own death. Strangely Riley found himself hoping desperately that she'd know it hadn't been him that had forced her up before snapping her neck. He hoped she knew it had been his enemy and not him.

Six men ran into the tunnel and one man swore at the scene before radioing for back up as the others fanned out. He heard somebody declare 'the blind woman' dead and then two more declared two of their brethren dead before he felt fingers at his throat. "This one's alive. Barely." A man yelled from right next to Riley's ear but he forced himself not to move.

"These two are dead too." Another voice reported.

"Who did this?" Another man asked.

"This one's really beat up, he probably won't make it." The man next to Riley reported.

"It looks like we have our murderer then." The one who had asked who'd killed their men spoke again. "I wonder."

Riley heard the man walk towards him before his head was tipped forwards and Riley knew his bar code had been bared to the world. "What are you doing, Sir?" The man that had checked Riley's pulse asked.

"He's a Transgenic." The man spat. "Get him out of here!"

"He's wounded, Sir." The man near him objected. "We need a medic before we move him."

"He's a murderer and a freak, Murphy." The leader told him harshly. "If he dies on the way up then nobodies gonna cry for him."

Riley felt Murphy start to lift him but ignored his pains in favour of not giving away his awareness. "Give me a hand would you?" His carrier asked another who grumbled but lifted Riley's over side. Riley found himself being carried down the tunnel between with his arms held tightly over their shoulders.

Riley brought his heart beat back up to speed and cracked open his eyes to check on their position. He waited until the last possible moment when he knew where an exit was easily reachable and when he had enough energy to manage an escape before he made his move. He suddenly shifted his weight putting his feet down on the ground making the two men lurch at the sudden change. His head smacked to the right as he head butted the man holding him up on that side and Riley stepped away even as his body hit the ground unconscious.

Riley assessed Murphy, the man that had checked his pulse and asked for a medic rather than carrying him wounded like this. He fumbled for his gun slung at his waist but Riley stepped in and pushed the muzzle aside. "Thanks for caring enough to ask for a medic." Riley told him sincerely.

"Are you going to kill me?" The man shook violently. "Did you do it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you no." Riley told him. "Sorry about this."

"What?" The man frowned and Riley smacked him in the side of the head with the heel of his hand. His unconscious body hit the floor but Riley was already running through the tunnels. He'd rest once he was out and clear of this screw up.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Joshua's house**

Logan had dropped Alec, Max and Joshua back at Joshua's house and left them to relax on their own while he made his way back to his own penthouse to try to sort out the next hack which would undoubtedly have to counter the panic this supposed kidnapping would cause. Alec switched on the TV and flopped down on the chair. Max settled down on the small armchair while Joshua sat on the floor in front of the sofa.

"You didn't even do anything!" Max complained when Alec groaned out tiredly.

"Heh." Alec snorted. "You didn't have to deal with Riley all night long."

"Oh, as if you're complaining." Max rolled her eyes. "He should be here soon with Annie at least. It's easier to stand being around you as long as he's here."

"Hey, now that's just mean." Alec grumbled and crossed his arms over his front.

"No talking." Joshua suddenly perked up from the floor and Max turned up the volume even though all three could have heard the reporter easily.

_"__Questions remain. Community leaders are demanding to know how the creature could have eluded the manhunt with so many law enforcement agencies involved__."_ The woman was saying. The scene behind her was dark with crews clearing up the mess. The scene was one of disappointment.

"Creature has friends, that's how." Joshua nodded. He was just glad to know that Riley was looking after Annie and the two X-5's felt more relaxed in that knowledge as well.

_"__We're here to bring you breaking news in this shocking development.__" _The woman reporter continued._"__Police have now confirmed that the cause of death was a snapped neck. Witnesses say it would have taken someone with superhuman strength to account for the state in which the body was found__."_

"Annie?" Joshua groaned as they all stared at the screen in horror.

"Riley?" Alec looked at Max with a horrified expression and they both seemed to coil in their seats as if somebody was going to come into the room and attack them.

"Riley!" Joshua growled low in his throat but it wasn't the concerned horror that Alec had spoken with, it was an accusation and Max and Alec knew it.

_"__Once again, a tragic ending to tonight's events: The kidnapped girl, Annie Fisher, was found dead at the scene just moments ago__ along with four Police Officers__ all__ murdered by __an unknown assailant__, who __regardless of being severely wounded escaped from police custody moments after waking up from wounds inflicted by the men he killed__. Police have a description of the kidnapper__ including footage of the bar code tattooed into the back of his neck." _The woman paused as a small window appeared and a camera recording of Riley's neck was shown as a police officer pushed it forwards revealing his barcode unmistakable for the three Transgenics. _"Annie Fisher who was only twenty-three spent several terrifying hours with her deformed attacker today before being handed to an accomplish who killed not only her but four Police officers attempting to rescue her."_

Joshua roared in anger and Max had to restrain him as he pounded at the floor. Alec was staring at the screen in shock. He'd seen the glimpse of Riley's state and knew it wasn't good and couldn't imagine what could have beaten him up so badly. Max spared him a concerned glance but her attention returned quickly to Joshua.

_"Tonight we must all sleep in fear as this murderer roams our streets. The Police Force's assurances that the assailant couldn't have possibly survived to reach medical attention is a small reassurance at this time." _She went on, her tone almost hoping that Riley was dead in some ditch somewhere. Alec glared at her as if he could strike her down from there. _"__This new Transgenic__ give credence to the new rumours that a Transgenic from what is called the X-series, which appear to be human but possess extreme strength and speed, not only assisted__ in the creatures escape but helped it to kill it's victim."_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley opened the door and slipped inside without thinking about the fact he was still being as silent as possible. He could hear the TV on in the living room and could sense a presence which he assumed was Joshua. He slipped through the hallway and stopped at the door to the living room.

Joshua was sitting on the floor with Max huddled into his side trying to calm him down while Alec was sitting on the sofa biting his fingernails. He looked worried. Obviously they'd just heard that Annie had died.

Joshua suddenly looked up directly at Riley but before Riley could apologise for his failure Joshua had leapt to his feet and before any of them could react he'd punched Riley square in the side of the head. Riley was thrown sideways and backwards into the door frame with a loud crack and slid to the floor.

"Riley!" Alec yelled.

"Joshua! Stop!" Max cried. Alec slammed into Joshua's side but the larger Transgenic shrugged him off and lurched at Riley who didn't have the strength left in him to try to defend himself. Max grabbed one of arms as Alec regained his balance and grabbed the other and together they hoisted the enraged Hybrid away from Riley. Riley groaned and rolled onto his side and pushed himself slowly to his feet.

"Riley?" Max gasped and let go of Joshua. The Hybrid looked ready to lurch at Riley again but Alec got between them with a vicious growl that would have shocked Riley if he had the strength to be surprised any more. Joshua snarled at Alec but the other X-5 wouldn't back down. "What happened?"

Riley focused on her and leaned backwards trying to find the door frame for support but misjudged it and would have fallen to the floor if Max hadn't caught him. His eyes flashed with pain for a second. "White." Riley gasped.

Max lifted Riley gently and helped him collapse painfully onto the sofa. "Alec?" Max asked looking to her friend.

"You lay off." Alec warned Joshua and only once he was sure that Joshua wouldn't attack did he turn to move to Riley's side. "Hey there."

"Don't treat me like a child, bastard." Riley hissed weakly before his limbs shook as the adrenaline that had kept him going all the way through the alleys back to Joshua's house slowly wore off. His words weren't really that convincing though since it took all his energy to do it. His hand reached for his jacket pocket but he couldn't work the zip and his hand fell away. "Seizure."

Alec nodded and pulled the tub of pills from his inside pocket and took two out. They weren't surprised that Riley would need the pills with the wounds that were visible. Riley swallowed the Tryptophan painfully before turning his head to find Joshua who was glowering off to the side. Somebody had shut off the TV which Riley knew had been detailing all of Riley's ruthlessness in killing four policemen and a blind woman. "Joshua?"

Joshua growled but Max got up and pulled the Hybrid down to his side. "What happened, Riley?"

"I'm sorry, Joshua. I tried to..." Riley paused as Joshua knelt beside him. "I tried to get her to safety. White stopped us and the police arrived."

"What did he do?" Max asked.

"Shot the Cops." Riley told her. "I told Annie to get away but she was too scared and White beat me. He doesn't feel pain. I couldn't stop him and he..."

"Snapped her neck." Max sighed as Riley trailed off. Riley nodded and shut his eyes.

"How bad is cat hurt?" Joshua asked Alec in concern and Riley turned his head and opened his eyes again to look at him. Riley hoped he'd be forgiven.

"Riley, how bad are you?" Alec asked, worry dripping from his tone. The only thing stopping him from pouncing on his boyfriend in relief was his training that taught him that you didn't do that to people this injured.

"Need a medic." Riley groaned and turned his head into the side of the chair.

Alec winced and turned to Max. "You'd better call Logan and get that Doctor here soon. Riley would only ask for a medic if he really needed one."

"Can I trust you to not kill him, big fella?" Max stood and looked at Joshua.

Joshua nodded and Max slipped from the room. "Come on Joshua, let's get him onto the bed. Be gentler with him this time please?" Alec asked sarcastically. No matter the pain Joshua was in at Annie's death he wouldn't forgive the Hybrid for attacking Riley without asking what had happened first. Together they gently lifted a now sleeping Riley up and carried him into the bedroom. Joshua left to get some warm water and a cloth as well as some fresh water to drink while Alec slowly stripped Riley down to his boxers and slowly checked him over wincing every time he had to add something to the list he was formulating in his head.

When Doctor Carr arrived with Logan she began work without question even though she had without a doubt connected Riley to the accusation of murder still being broadcasted on the TV and radio. Logan had obviously already convinced her of the truth of the matter. She did what she could without the use of an X-ray or Sonogram but treated him for a fractured leg, cracked hip bone, ten fractured ribs, a bruised collar bone and what seemed to be a fractured skull.

She winced when she'd tried to explain the extent of the internal bleeding though, she had best explained that without medical treatment a normal human would have trouble remaining alive. In Riley's case Alec and Max agreed a few days rest would deal with any internal bleeding and the fractures would all have healed by morning.

Doctor Carr left after making them promise not to move him at all for at least three days. Alec collapsed down on the bed next to his still sleeping boyfriend as soon as he had tucked a blanket around his bandaged body. Max sat on the window sill while Logan settled down in the computer chair. Joshua was pacing as he muttered under his breath.

Logan left a few hours later but by unspoken agreement none of the others even shifted. Joshua was clearly as upset as was possible and Max spent most of her time comforting him against the far wall while Alec just stared at the ceiling or played cards on the bed spread. When morning rolled around Alec and Max had to go to work, they couldn't go missing suspiciously after what had just happened. Joshua swore to look after him and to get him to call one of them when he awoke.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Riley woke to the sound of movement in his room, it only took him a fraction of a second to realise that it wasn't a Transgenic which would have only left Logan as an option but he could sense and hear two and they were trying to stay hidden which had the reverse affect on Riley's senses. Not to mention they both had that odd feel about them that stood out in his mind like a stain on white carpet.

Riley cracked open his eyes and saw two of the Wizard spies that he had seen around. One was the black haired lurker that always watched from the shadows while the other was the younger man that he'd seen the day before. "We're going against orders, Sev." The young man hissed.

"We won't get an opportunity like this again." 'Sev' hissed back. They really needed a lesson in tactics and stealth. "He's wounded and can't put up a fight. We can discuss 'choice' at our leisure once he's where he can't keep alluding us."

The older man was now within easy striking distance and Riley lashed out. Ignoring the pain in his body as he pushed up to standing, blurred and sent the man sprawling against the wall with a loud crash where he groaned on the verge of losing consciousness. Riley ducked as his senses screamed at him and leapt into a flip and strung the younger man up by the throat against the wall at the end of the bed. He didn't care that he was only wearing his boxers and his head, chest and leg were wrapped up in bandages. Nor that he had to favour his fractured leg.

Riley's left hand held the other young man's right wrist up against the wall, the man's wooden stick that he'd pointed at Riley when he'd attacked the other man was held tightly in his fist. "I think you should drop whatever that is." Riley hissed.

The young man tried to struggle but even injured Riley could hold him. He heard quick footsteps and the door was thrown open and Joshua growled as he jumped into the room assessing everything. Riley glanced at him and then at the spy on the ground who was looking at Joshua in horror and shock before he finally succumbed to fate and fell unconscious. To Riley and Joshua's shock he vanished.

"What the hell was that?" Riley growled at the man he was holding captive. The man's lips pressed together. "I will kill you if you don't talk."

"You're lying." The blond man accused.

"You've been following me and you don't even know what you're following?" Riley hissed taking out all his anger against White on this young man.

"It's a Portkey, we all have them, set to go off if we fall unconscious!" He blurted.

"Go off? What do they do?" Riley sneered but he just shook his head. Riley's left hand tightened around his wrist and he heard the stick fall from his grasp and a look of desperation cross the guy's face. "I'm trained to extract information from a target. Did you want to start at the very beginning of the questioning or shall I just jump straight to the torture?"

Whether it was his threat or Joshua's growling the young man started talking. "It's a device that transports you wherever you want."

"You name?" Riley asked. "And his?"

"Draco, he's Severus." 'Draco' blurted quickly. Pathetic.

"And why were you going to kidnap me?" Riley sneered tightening his hand around his neck.

"To fight our war." Draco gasped.

"Fight your war?" Riley hissed. "I have a war, deal with your own war on your own."

"What are you going to do to me?" Draco asked.

"Do you even know what I am?"

"You're Harry Potter! You're supposed to save us." Draco gasped evidently having trouble breathing.

"Not the right answer." Riley sneered again. "I could snap your neck like a twig. If I get a hold of you again you won't even last as long as your friend did. If you don't believe me then try watching the news. Good night."

Riley really just didn't want this guy here. He wasn't up to torture and he wasn't up to fighting this battle without his family with him. So he used the information he'd just received and cut off the man's air supply letting him fall unconscious just as Riley let go. He wasn't going to risk whatever magic this was from catching him too. The young man vanished as he hit the floor and Riley staggered backwards as the adrenaline wore off.

Joshua, to his credit, guided him down onto the bed. "Cat should take it easy." Joshua told him.

"I will, Joshua." Riley promised. "Just as soon as people stop trying to kill me." Riley let himself be pulled gently back against the head board and drunk down the water Joshua poured into a glass from the jug on the nightstand.

"Bad people sneak past me." Joshua growled.

"They used magic." Riley sighed. "Thanks for coming."

"Cat had it down." Joshua nodded.

"Joshua, we didn't really get a chance to talk yesterday. I really am sorry for failing." Riley looked down at his lap.

"Joshua not angry at Cat, Joshua angry at White." Joshua told him and Riley glanced up at him.

"Even so, I'm sorry I failed to protect her." Riley told him sincerely.

"Cat is alright. Little Fella and Alec are happy you are safe." Joshua told him. "Big Fella happy too."

"Thanks mate." Riley nodded. "Can you grab me that stick thing and my cell? Alec will crucify me if I don't report this to him straight away."

Joshua passed him his cell before crossing the room to pick up the stick while Riley dialled Alec's number. "Alec, hi."

_"You're awake! Are you ok?"_ Alec asked and seemed to move around. A second later Riley heard Max's annoyed voice snapping at him. _"It's Riley."_

_"Riley? Are you awake?"_

"No, I'm calling from my sleep." Riley rolled his eyes. "Got woken up by a couple of those Wizards who thought I'd be an easy catch while I was wounded."

_"You're not serious!"_ Alec gasped. _"What did you do?"_

"Knocked one out straight off and threatened the little twerp that was spying on us the morning before last." Riley told him. "Got myself a little souvenir too. Something they use for their magic I'd guess."

_"We're on our way."_ Max told him.

_"You mean, you're actually letting me skip work?"_ Alec laughed.

_"Shut it__ smart arse." _Max was obviously glaring at him.

"I'll see you soon?" Riley asked and received a promise before he closed his phone and wearily put it on the night stand as Joshua sat on the bottom of the bed and tossed him the stick.

Riley turned it over in his hands feeling instantly that it was hollow for the most part. One end was obviously a handle and by the wear on the wood it was well used. The other end narrowed slightly. Riley shook it slightly but felt no movement inside so it was either completely hollow or whatever was inside couldn't move. Riley didn't know why he tried it but he focused on what his ever present senses could tell him and as soon as he opened himself to his senses he winced and almost threw it away from him. It was like a radio booster and as soon as he tried to pay attention he found himself blasted by everything he'd normally have to really concentrate to hear.

"Cat ok?" Joshua asked picking the stick up rather suspiciously.

"Yeah, yeah." Riley could hear the echoes of his senses bouncing around in his head. "You know I can sense everything around me like you and the Normals."

"But Max and Alec immune." Joshua nodded. Max had probably explained it properly to him.

"Well normally I can sense everything in a three block radius, couple of miles if I concentrate." Riley winced at the thought of what that _thing_ did to him. "But fuck that thing amplifies it. I just got blasted by everyone in the city. I need aspirin."

"Doc left pain killers for fractures." Joshua told him and stood and threw Riley a small tub of pills. Riley looked at the pills and chucked back twice the normal dosage. It had to work on a Transgenic after all and they were notoriously unaffected by drugs.

"Why does trouble always manage to find me?" Riley groaned as he let his head fall back against the wall and then instantly winced as it set off his head injury. "Sodding world."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	15. Outgrowing Seattle

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 15; Outgrowing Seattle

**Joshua's house**

It had been a week since the two Wizards had tried to capture him and he hadn't seen any of them since then. According to Max and Alec, Riley would be able to walk about as normal without chaos ensuing. Nobody had gotten a clear image of his face and there were so many wanted criminals in Seattle it would be a miracle if they even recognised him from a partial match.

He'd spent most of his time pushing his body to its limits regardless of how much the scent of his sweat annoyed Joshua. He also traced all of Logan's hacks just in case but also spent a lot of time trying to draw Joshua out of his rut. Ever since Annie had been killed he'd been rather solitary and to Riley's annoyance Max had simply become more demanding. Over protective.

"Hey, mutt." Riley greeted as he walked into the kitchen. Joshua glanced up at him from the table and grunted. He was used to the name by now since both Riley and Alec used it. "I'm going to go out today and test the waters."

"Alright for you." Joshua grumbled.

"I know it's tough staying in here." Riley sighed and reached over to grab Joshua's hand. Joshua pulled it away instantly. "I know you're safe here but it would be hypocritical of us to ask you to stay when you clearly want to help."

"Little Fella says stay." Joshua told him.

"Well fortunately for us she isn't automatically in charge, even if she thinks she is." Riley shook his head. "Just do me a favour, if you decide to go to Terminal City then stay out of sight."

Joshua nodded at him and stood from the table. "Is there anything you want?" Riley shouted after him but didn't get an answer. Riley finished his cereal before gathering his wallet, Federal ID and keys before he headed out of the door. He got onto his bike and drove into the centre of the city, planning to meet up with Alec at Jam Pony. His first true test came at the first sector check point but he almost laughed as the guard simply waved him through at the sight of his Federal ID without even looking at his face.

He pulled up outside Jam Pony's and slid off his bike. He spotted Cece and she smiled at him as she entered the building. Riley fell in beside her as they walked down the ramp just in time to see an interesting scene. Cece tensed as did Riley. Normal was pointing a six shot revolver at one of the messengers and even though he had a barcode on the back of his neck it was clear that not only was the barcode fake but he was a Normal.

Riley saw Max and Alec on the other side of the scene but he was the one that moved first and he stepped forwards through the crowd and pulled his 9mm and aimed it at the side of Normal's head. "I'll take the revolver." Riley told him and firmly took the gun from Normal's suddenly shaking hand.

Riley stepped between the kneeling messenger and Normal but kept his gun on the man for an instant longer before he holstered it. He toyed with the revolver for a moment before uncocking it and dumping the rounds on the floor. "What are you doing? He's one of them!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Riley told him as he spun and hoisted the messenger to his feet, he spun him around and ran a thumb across the bar code, smearing it across his neck. "His neck is always clear. Though I applaud your sense of justice leave this to the professionals in the future."

Normal stared at him before looking around. "What are you all looking at? Get back to work!"

People stared at him for a moment before scattering quickly. Riley chucked the revolver back at Normal who fled rapidly. "Go get that washed off." Riley told the messenger who nodded gratefully and fled. Riley turned to Max, Cece, Alec and Original Cindy. "It's never boring around here."

Cece laughed, tapped him on the back and headed away toward the counter to hand something to a shaky Normal. Riley kissed Alec briefly. "It's good to see you out of the house." Alec told him.

"It _is_ nice." Riley smirked in agreement. "So, Alec, are you coming back to Joshua's tonight?"

"Sure." Alec nodded. "Might go to crash first if you want to join me?"

"Maybe. There's a hack tonight and I want to keep an eye on the airways." Riley told him. "I'll swing by afterwards."

"Keep an eye on the airways?" Original Cindy asked.

"Riley's an ace with computers." Max came to the rescue as her human friend tried to stare Riley down. "He's protecting Logan from any traces."

"Slowing down traces if they pop up." Riley corrected. "I won't be able to do much to hide him if they really go at him."

"So you're not so bad after all?" Original Cindy grinned at him.

"Don't go getting that in your head." Riley warned her. "I'm still armed."

"He's an ace with that too." Alec grinned.

"Even Max is an ace with guns." Riley pointed out. "It isn't hard. If she'd damn well use them."

"I don't like them." Max argued.

"Whatever Max." Riley grinned, hugged her quickly and then kissed Alex again lightly on the lips. "I'll see you guys later. Oh and Max. I'd go have a talk with Joshua as soon as you're able."

"Why?"

"That's between you and him." Riley shrugged before turning and leaving the messenger building. He passed Sketchy on the way and the guy eyed him. Riley smirked at him before disappearing out the door.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

Riley watched his screens as Logan hacked into the satellite network that fed all the television stations and then plugged in his own live broadcast. Almost instantly Riley's computer flagged something. Somebody else was tracking Logan's signal and they were doing it quickly. Riley hacked into Logan's signal and began scattering the trail with a precision that only a Transgenic could achieve even as he sent a warning email to Logan. Logan continued until almost the sixtieth second before cutting his transmission.

Riley dialled Logan's computer and his call was answered instantly as Logan's face came onto the screen. "What's up, Riley?"

"Tell me you got my warning." Riley paused as Logan nodded. "Then why didn't you round it up?"

"I can't be pushed off the air every time somebody tracks me. My computer will tell me if they get close." Logan told him.

"These guys were fast, if I hadn't scrambled your trail they might have already locked onto you." Riley warned. "In one hack."

"That good?" Logan asked.

"This is secure. Send me everything on your hard drives and I'll back it up and make sure you're ready for a quick escape next time you hack in because they'll have you in seconds." Riley told him. "I'm not kidding about this Logan. If this is White, he'll kill you in seconds."

"Alright, Riley." Logan sighed. "I'm sending you everything I've got and I'll start making preparations. I'll do the last hack tomorrow evening, same time and then get over to yours."

"Better yet, meet me on the roof of the building opposite yours." Riley told him. "I'll probably be a bit late but I should get to you before they get to your apartment. I don't want them following you to here if you're using this place as your hideout from now on."

"Okay, Riley. You should be receiving my data now." Logan told him. They spent almost an hour transferring Logan's rather hefty store of data and patching it into the stuff he'd already backed up on Riley's system.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**(M-rated scene – Nothing to do with the plot)**

**That night**

Alec shut the door with his foot before turning and shoving Riley into the wall. Riley smirked at him but lost his smugness when Alec pushed them together and kissed Riley soundly on the lips. They were at the apartment that Alec had found and it was a nice enough place. Riley would end up staying here for the long run if Logan was moving to Joshua's place. The company here would be much better than there.

Alec's hands pushed Riley's jacket off his shoulders and paused only momentarily before slipping Riley's 9mm and its holster off his shoulders. He betrayed his own sense of security when he made sure it was placed within easy reach of the bedroom before he pinned Riley to the wall again. His hands pushed up under Riley's shirt and up onto his hard pecs even as Riley pushed his hands up the back of Alec's  shirt.

Alec broke the kiss so they could both divest each other of their shirts and then pressed their bodies together. Riley hissed at the many sensations, from Alec's aroused scent and the warmth of his chest against his own to the feeling of Alec's hardened cock against his own. Riley smirked into Alec's kiss before his hand slipped down past Alec's waist band and into his boxers. His other hand loosened Alec's trousers before undoing his fly and letting his trousers drop to the ground.

Before Alec could return the favour Riley span him around and pulled his back to his chest before forcing Alec's boxers down to the ground. Alec kicked them away as Riley bit into his neck, savouring the smell of his naked lover. His hand slowly pulled back the skin of Alec's cock making Alec grind back into Riley's own hardened flesh. Riley looked down over Alec's body at the cock in his hand and slowly began a steady stroking of his boyfriend's arousal.

Alec pushed into Riley's hand and slipped his hand between them, he freed Riley in a few swift movement and then pushed back so Riley's cock slid up between Alec's cheeks. Riley groaned and sped up his movements until Alec was writhing against Riley. Alec's wild motions against Riley's cock brought Riley over the edge first and his hot cum spread between Alec's cheeks even as Riley gripped harder. Alec moaned loudly as his own cum sprayed across his bedroom and onto the carpet and then he sagged back into Riley. Riley let him go and brought his arms up under Alec's to fold over his chest.

"That was interesting." Alec grinned over his shoulder at Riley.

"The night's still young." Riley kissed him as Alec turned in his arms to deepen their embrace.

**(End scene)**

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

It was barely ten in the morning when Riley's cell phone rang. He was still at Alec's flat but his boyfriend had gone to work almost an hour ago. Riley stood from the seat before answering the phone but he'd already recognised the number even though none of the numbers were stored on the cell.

"Hey, Max." Riley greeted.

_"Hey, Riley. Are you up to anything massive?"_

"Not particularly. I don't want to shove my nose in matters when some of the more enthusiastic cops might recognise me." Riley told her.

_"Well I can't work so can we meet up."_

"Can't work?" Riley repeated in amusement. "Alright, how about Joshua's?"

_"No."_ Max answered far too fast. _"How about on the Needle?"_

"In broad daylight?" Riley asked before grinning. "Alright."

_"Great. See ya there!"_ She hung up and Riley pocketed his phone with a sigh before grabbing his gun and pulling his jacket on.

The Needle was deserted as always. Sometimes people went into the lower sections but a couple of the flights of stairs about half way up were less than safe. That wasn't a problem for people like Riley since he simply vaulted up to the flight above before continuing his climb.

He found Max already at the top sitting clear of the edge so she couldn't be seen from below. Riley walked over to her making sure she could hear his footsteps so she didn't startle. "What's got you like this, Max?" Riley asked as he sat down, he hung his arms on his pulled up knees and stared out.

"I almost wanted to leave the city today." She told him.

"Because Joshua wants to go to Terminal City?" Riley asked. She looked at him yet Riley didn't turn to face her. "You can't blame him, he spent the Lady knows how many years protecting the others in Manticore. You can't expect him to take a backseat now when there are others out there just like him."

"But he doesn't even know how to fight!" Max argued.

"Is that what's bothering you?" Riley asked. She went to say no but Riley continued. "You don't want him to become a weapon like us?"

"I don't want us to be weapons." Max sighed.

"You're about twenty years too late for that, Max." Riley told her. "You know, what we are isn't so bad."

"How can you say that?" Max asked. "After everything they put us through. After what they did to you after we ran away?"

"And if I hadn't been sold to Manticore?" Riley asked. "What do you know of that?"

"Alec said he was sent to kill your Aunt and Uncle." Max frowned.

"Alec and Biggs." Riley nodded. "To kill my cousin too."

"Doesn't that prove my point?" Max asked. "What we are?"

"They were my family, Max, I don't know what happened to my parents to put me with my Aunt but I know one thing." Riley turned to look at her for the first time and she jumped at the sight of tears in his eyes. "They sold me to Manticore. My only family sold a baby to Manticore."

"Oh, Riley." Max sighed.

"It's a horrible way to look at it but Manticore gave me a family." Riley sighed. "If I'd been kept by my Aunt I can only imagine what those people would have done to me. Beatings, starvation, rape. It doesn't bare thinking about. Manticore trained me, granted they were harsh and uncaring about it but I doubt I'd still be alive or sane if I hadn't been sold to Manticore."

They sat in silence for a while before Max turned to him again. "Are you going to stay here?"

"For the time being, yeah." Riley nodded. "With Joshua moving to Terminal City I only have you and Alec left and Alec is making friends with the other X-5's."

"You know he won't forget about you." Max argued.

"I know that." Riley laughed. "But the others are not going to learn to trust me easily."

"Are you going to try?" Max asked.

"When we're on the brink of war?" Riley asked. "I'll talk to Alec about leaving. I won't be gone long but I want to see the others before the Wizards catch up to me."

"Catch up to you?" Max asked. "Are you that scared of them?"

"I'm not scared, just being realistic." Riley countered. "They could disappear into thin air right out of my room. Eventually they'll come after me for real and I don't know how much of a chance I'll have."

"At least they don't seem to know what you are." Max pointed out. "You can escape and contact us and we'll come."

"We'll see."

Max grabbed his shoulder and spun him to look at him. "Listen to me, Riley. You have to ask us for help. We won't leave you behind ever again. You can count on us. I promise."

Riley smiled at her. "I'll see what they want first but I'm not going to leave them with any advantage over me."

"Too right!" Max laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley returned to Joshua's house only to find it empty. He could smell burnt paints and looked around. Joshua had clearly ripped up and burned all of his paintings of Annie. Riley winced at the reminder of his failure but put that aside as he headed into his room. Alec wanted to scope out Terminal City to make friends and find a place of Riley and him to flee to if they needed to. Riley knew he'd be more successful in finding friends without Riley around for people to recognise.

Riley booted up his computer and in seconds he was online. He pinged Logan to tell the man he was online and then hacked in to the satellite that Logan would soon use. As Logan hacked in and began his transmission Riley found the people tracing Logan and began counter hacking them. He was too subtle and fast for them to see and by the time they found Logan's position Riley was fully in their system, using almost two dozen relays. Their systems went haywire and Riley had great fun sending them a saved image of the nuclear discharge that had put America back a century. The virus' that Riley downloaded into their system had their power systems overloading.

At least White would have a few small fires to concentrate on for the time being and there wouldn't be much more than slush in their computers to work with.

Riley was out of the house in minutes and on his bike heading for a street several blocks away from Logan's apartment building. He ran the remaining distance and then up through the building and onto the roof that looked out across the street and to Logan's penthouse suite. He spotted Logan standing at the edge of the roof staring across the street at flashing lights in his own apartment. Riley could easily hear the sound of automatic gunfire. Even Logan could hear that.

Riley walked up behind Logan on silent feet. "I hacked into the City Residential Database." Riley spoke up making Logan jump. "There's no record that you lived there. If they want to try to track you down by name they'll be looking for somebody by the name of Aewe Smith."

"Aewe?" Logan asked.

"Best I could come up with on short notice." Riley laughed.

"Ames White?" Logan asked after a moment's concentration.

"Should piss him off nicely." Riley grinned. "And take a bit off his ego especially with the mess I made of his computer network."

"The other thing you had planned?" Logan asked.

"I traced back along their own trace and mucked with their computers. Overloaded their power relays and so on. I'm sure his security was on a mainframe which makes it all the more fun." Riley shook his head in amusement. "You finished staring at your old home or can we get going?"

"Not much for wasting time are you?" Logan looked at him.

"There isn't much use for it." Riley countered. "If you're going to do something you just get it done."

"Poor Alec." Logan teased.

"Oh, that's funny." Riley barely looked at him as he turned on the spot and started across the roof. He followed Logan's car on his bike to make sure they weren't being followed and got the shock of his life when he spotted a familiar person and a passenger on an unfamiliar bike heading in the opposite direction. He pulled around Logan and pulled over. Logan stopped as well. Riley walked back to Logan's driver side window.

"Was that Max?" Logan asked. "I haven't talked to her all day."

"I think so but I don't know where she got the bike and I didn't see who she had on the bike." Riley frowned slightly. "You'll be clear from here. Head to Joshua's while I go after her. We'll meet you there later."

Logan nodded and pulled away and around Riley's bike. Riley got back on his bike, did a U-turn and headed away after Max. It took him a while to catch up only to find the bike on its own outside an abandoned building. He parked his bike out of sight and slipped into stealth mode as he checked the bike for clues. It was still hot and also quite new. The compartment turned up a pack of unopened cigarettes as well as a newly opened bottle of Tryptophan. Obviously a Transgenic's bike but Max didn't smoke.

Riley tensed instantly as his mind made the logical conclusion and he pulled out his phone and dialled Alec's cell. His boyfriend answered quickly. _"I'm with Joshua and his new friends in Terminal City. They're ever so friendly." _Alec told him rather sarcastically.

"That's great." Riley rolled his eyes though he was speaking only loud enough for Alec to just about hear him. "I think 453 is in town and if I'm right she's taken Max captive."

_"Sheese!"_ Alec laughed.

"Where's she been all this time?" Riley asked since he'd been out of Manticore when it had burned down.

_"She was sent out just before you for a deep cover."_ Alec told him.

"Ok. I'm going in to help." Riley told him.

_"Riley, I know you're good but you've never been able to beat her in a fight before."_ Alec warned him.

"I know that, Alec." Riley sighed. "But I'm not who I was a year ago. I'm not bothered by her anymore and without that edge she doesn't stand a chance. If I don't call you in twenty come save me."

Alec laughed but agreed to the terms before he told him to be careful and hung up. Riley pocketed his phone before he vaulted up to an exposed wall section above the bike. He vaulted up the outside of the building in near silence and went in on the fourth out of five floors before tracking inside. He couldn't sense anybody but as he moved in he could hear the sound of somebody talking. It sounded like Max but as it became clearer he realised it was slightly off.

"It's what you do isn't it?" 453 was talking. "Run away? Like when it got too tough for you back at Manticore. You never once stopped to think about what they'd do to the rest of us. They wanted to make sure it wouldn't happen again so they tightened the leash. We got the worst of it, your twins. Manticore decided that since we had the same basic psychological makeup as the twelve of you we were the greatest flight risks, so they hauled us into psy-ops for six months. You have no idea what they put us through do you? While you were out living the dream we paid the price."

Riley was in view now, almost three floors above them. 453 was standing over Max as she talked and Max was tied up to an exposed girder with a chain. "'Living the dream' isn't exactly how I'd put it." Max argued from where she was sitting.

"Oh so it's too hard for you out here too then?" 453 shook her head. "Well, in that case, I don't feel so bad about handing you over to White. You ruined my life once ten years ago and I won't let it happen again."

Riley backed away from the edge and started tracking back away from the scene. He could drop down the three stories but he ran the risk of her hearing him and having time to attack him while he was in the air where he couldn't dodge that well. He made his way down two floors until he was only one floor above them before he circled clear and approached from directly behind where 453 had been.

"You're married?" He heard Max ask before he was in position.

"I have a husband and a little boy." 453 told her. Obviously the boy wasn't hers, or at least Riley didn't think so.

"You're lucky." Max told her.

"Yeah I had a nice normal life until White came looking for you." 453 glared across at Max. "And found me."

"He has them." Max sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Well I get them back once I turn you over." 453 told her.

"That's if he keeps his word." Max pointed out. Riley knew that White wouldn't. He'd kill 453 just like he had anybody else.

"Well I don't have any other options." 453 told her. "This is my family. Maybe you don't know what that means. Maybe you'd just run off and save your own hide but not me."

Riley made his move just as 453 made to light her cigarette. He dropped down from above like a ghost and only Max's sudden jerk clued 453 in who ducked on instinct to avoid Riley's knock out swipe. She spun around and lashed out with all her training. Riley dodged away but was back on her in moments. They traded expert blows but she'd never faced Riley without his handicap and she was surprised.

"Finally got over it I see." She sneered.

"Shut the fuck up, 453." Riley snapped and dove forward in what seemed to be an almost reckless move. 453 attacked but Riley's forward attack turned into a tornado kick as he dodged her own kick. He landed after delivering one kick, turned and smashed his palm into her ribs with enough force that the air rushed out of her lungs. It would have killed a normal human. To anybody else he would have seemed to blur but even though 453 saw his moves clearly she didn't have the time to react as Riley slammed her in the side of the head with a 560 kick. "She always was a bitch." Riley told Max as he moved to her side and took the chain off her.

"Jeese Riley, that was awesome." Max told him as she helped to pull 453 to the girder and then chained her there.

"Oh right, you've never actually seen me in a real fight have you?" Riley laughed at her.

"White should be here soon."

"You want to help get her family back I suppose?" Riley guessed.

"We're sisters." Max told her. "She's my twin."

"I suppose we owe it to her husband and kid." Riley sighed. "Take her jacket. We'll take him by surprise and trade him for her family in Terminal City."

Riley stepped to the side to call Alec to tell him the plan and then stepped back with Max to wait in a shadowed area. "Do you two have history?" Max asked.

"We had a similar hatred in Manticore." Riley told her. "You."

"Me?" Max looked shocked. "She hated you because you caused her more aggravation and I hated you...well... I hated you." He shrugged. "I had a problem facing her in combat because of what you did to me and it always threw me and she could always beat me."

"Doesn't seem to be a problem anymore." Max grinned.

"I'm over it now, Max." Riley told her. "This was rather therapeutic though."

"You kicked her arse." Max laughed.

"Alec is the only other X-5 that's ever beaten me one on one." Riley told her. "And that's because he knows every single aspect of my fighting style. We normally come up on a draw in training exercises. We were paired together early on because the trainers liked the pain it caused me from how close me and Ben were."

"Why not pair you with her then?" Max wondered.

"I wouldn't have been able to fight." Riley shrugged. "I think Lydecker put his foot down on that one. Obviously Zack's twin died years before you left. Alec was the best option to cause me pain. In the end I'm glad."

"Why?" Max asked.

"Because if I hadn't been forced to deal with my anger at Ben I would never have forgiven him and I don't think I could live with myself now if he'd died while I still hated him." Riley looked down but his hand came up to rest on the pendant of the Blue Lady he still wore. "I miss him."

"Riley." Max sighed and leant against him. "So do I. And we all missed you."

"I talked to Alec earlier. He's going to stay here but I'm going to head up to Canada and find the others." Riley told her. "I need to know if they're going to help me with the Wizards."

"When?" Max asked.

"In a week or so maybe." Riley shrugged. "You'll look after Alec right?"

"Like my own brother." She told him.

"Maybe you should tell him that?" Riley suggested. "It would make him happy. Sometimes he feels like your sidekick and he's worried about you, especially with Normal and Sketchy getting on to you."

"Those two are idiots." Max countered.

"I think if they found out Sketchy will just think you're cool." Riley laughed.

"Would you kill them?" She asked suddenly.

Riley looked at her but shrugged. "We're still different." Riley told her. "You don't like to kill but I don't have the same trouble. But we don't have to stay hidden anymore. If it's necessary I'll do it."

"And Normal and Sketchy?" She asked.

"I think we're safe with just scaring them into silence." Riley laughed by instantly fell silent as his senses told him a human was entering the building. He whispered his findings to Max as she moved out from their hiding place to meet him.

"Where have you been?" Max asked sharply as soon as White walked into the room.

"I had a thing." White shrugged her off and stopped as he took in the captured 453. He didn't have a clue.

"Where's my family?" Max asked.

"All in good time, 453." White told her without looking up at her. Riley stepped out and crossed behind White on silent feet.

"Yeah right." Max scoffed, making White look up at her sharply, exposing the back of his head to Riley better. Riley brought his 9mm down sharply as White crumbled to the ground limply.

"Do you recon we could make that permanent?" He asked.

"Not if we want to get her family back." Max told him.

Riley sighed but dragged White up and chained him alongside 453. He crouched down a few metres away with his gun in hand in clear view of both of them as they waited them out. Riley hadn't hit White all that hard and he guessed he'd wake up about the same time as 453 who he'd hit much harder.

She woke up first and she glared across at Riley in irritation. "Don't blame me." Riley told her. "Blame her."

"Riley!" Max sighed and nudged him with her foot.

"You two are getting along better than I thought." 453 narrowed her eyes.

"Don't worry, 453, I gave her a hard time." Riley smirked at her but turned his attention to White as his eyes opened and settled on Riley only to turn into a vicious glare. "See, now I'm hurt. I thought you'd be pleased to see me, White. How are the computers?"

"You!" White snarled angrily. "You cost me tens of thousands."

"Great isn't it." Riley laughed before looking at Max. "I'll tell you about it later." He stood gracefully but kept his gun in his hand ready for use.

"Ames White. Riley wants to put a bullet in your head." Max told him. "But you see, twenty odd years ago me and her got cooked up in the same test tube and in my book that makes us sisters."

"Get to the point." White sneered at her.

"The point is, I'm going to trade your sorry arse for her husband and kid." She told him.

"I don't think so." White scoffed.

"In that case." Riley aimed his gun and stepped forwards to plant the end right over White's throat. "With this shot you'll bleed out. Very slowly. I'm an expert in where to put bullets, or where to take them in order to look dead. You know that one don't you. You even saw my body before they dumped it in the river."

Riley saw the exact moment that White gave in to them and he pulled out his cell and dialled the mobile that he knew Otto still used. "I'm glad dear Otto is still using the same cell number. Rather bad practice if you ask me but he's not Manticore so you have to expect lacks in judgement."

_"Hello?"_ Riley piped Otto's voice over the speaker on his phone.

"I happen to know you can't trace this call at the moment, Otto." Riley told the man simply.

_"Who are you?"_ Otto asked.

"You see, now I really am hurt." Riley laughed. "After all that time we spent working together. But then again I can't expect more from the man that shot me in the back. Shame you can't aim worth a shit."

_"862!"_ Otto gasped. Riley and the others could all hear them rushing around the room.

"They really are idiots, White. How did you get landed with them?" Riley asked in an aside to White that he knew Otto could hear. "Listen up, Otto. We have White. Say hello to Otto, White."

White refused to open his mouth and Riley rolled his eyes, flipped his phone and took a picture of both White and 453 chained to the girder before he sent it to Otto's phone. "White doesn't seem to be the talkative type at the moment. Strange really since I remember that he never really shuts up. I've sent you a picture as proof instead." Riley told him. "Now listen carefully because if you don't do what I say, White is going to end up seeing the bad side of four very pissed off, highly trained, Manticore soldiers. And 453 here will probably come after you next to get her family and I find myself wanted to help."

"Riley?" Max asked quietly. "Get to the point."

"But I'm having so much fun." Riley told her as he blocked the microphone. He sighed before unblocking the phone. "Anyway, one hour on West Province just inside Terminal City. Make sure you bring 453's husband and child. And Otto? If even one hair is out of place on either of them the last thing you will see before I put a bullet through your head is White being strung up."

Riley hung up the phone and grinned at Max and 453. "Enjoying yourself?" Max asked.

"Extremely." Riley laughed. "Otto is such a useless kiss arse. Don't you agree, White?"

White simply glared at him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Terminal City**

Riley took the task of taking White though he wasn't stupid enough to just take the man on the back of his bike. Instead he chained the man up tightly and then hit the man hard enough to numb his body for the next thirty minutes or so. Normally it would stun a person for several hours but White wasn't a normal person.

Sam, or 453, now more willing to be helpful, took Max on the back of her own bike with a half-sincere apology to Max for the state of her own bike. Riley just raised his eyebrows at them both. He had to take a slightly diverted route around to Terminal City in case Otto decided to be smart and arrive early but they arrived without trouble. Riley shoved White off his bike and unchained him and after only thirty minutes he was on his feet again, though faced with three Transgenics that undoubtedly hated him he didn't make a move. Riley and Sam's guns obviously didn't hurt in keeping him under control either though.

Sam hid at the first sign of an approaching car since she knew better than to confuse matters by having to explain her twin to her family in the middle of a dangerous situation. Otto and another agent stepped out of their car with raised hands. "There's another five guys behind them." Riley told Max quietly so that White didn't hear him. "And almost two dozen coming up around us."

"Ours or theirs?" Max asked.

"I don't know." Riley sighed. "The ones behind them are moving pretty normal but the others are moving pretty erratically. Jumping over fences and so on. I'd say ours. We've got two cameras on us so I'd say they're help."

"Let's see what you're packing!" Max called to Otto.

"We're unarmed."

"You're incompetent, Otto." Riley snapped. "Not an idiot. If you don't disarm yourself I'll just shoot you both."

Otto glared at him but both men pushed aside their jackets and lifted their guns before putting them on the floor. "Alright!" Max called. "Let's do this."

Otto half turned and waved and a man and a small boy stepped out of the back seat of the car and started walking towards Otto. The man pulled his son into his front to protect him. "Okay, on three." Max called. "One, two, three."

The man and boy began walking forwards but White turned to Max. "Is my son still alive?"

"You won't be if you don't start moving." Max snapped.

White began walking across the way heading for Otto. Riley saw it just as he passed Sam's family. He shifted slightly and flexed his legs. Riley pulled his gun even as he blurred forwards and tugged on the father and son pushing them backwards towards Max who caught the boy. Riley's gun was pointed at White even as he jumped over his own handcuffs and grabbed the gun Otto had thrown on the ground. Otto and the other guard aimed guns at Riley but Riley's aim didn't shift.

Riley stepped back towards Max knowing she was unarmed as usual but his gaze never shifted from the three men's triggers. At the first sign of making to fire he'd have a bullet shooting towards them. "Nice work, Otto." White complimented over his shoulder as Otto smirked at Riley.

"I can shoot two of you in the time it takes any of you to fire and I know which two I'll pick." Riley hissed. Riley's senses told him they were completely surrounded both by the five men that had appeared around Otto's car but also by two dozen more. Even though he didn't move his gaze he saw his boyfriend appear out of the shadows of a doorway on Riley's left. He hadn't been able to sense him of course but Alec stepped clear up to Riley's side with a 9mm in his hands aimed at Otto.

There was a chorus of cocking guns and Otto, White and the other agent looked around nervously as the roof tops were filled with Transgenics, all mutant forms, and all holding guns. From behind the car appeared almost a dozen human looking Transgenics, only half of which Riley had been able to sense.

"You guys want to throw it down, go ahead." Max offered. "But a whole lot of people are going to get hurt."

"Namely them." Riley hissed though he hadn't moved a millimetre in the last minute.

"This isn't over 452." White glared passed Riley at Max before he sneered hatefully at Riley. "How long till they take vengeance on you, 862? You're as bad as me in this."

"Fuck you!" Riley snapped.

"Alright Gentlemen." White called and backed away to the car as his men conceded defeat.

Riley didn't move even as the car disappeared. He was well aware that most of the Transgenics around him were still watching him carefully and none had put away their guns, especially the X-series down the road from him. Riley turned and holstered his gun and turned to Sam as she appeared and looked at him. "Thanks, 862." She told him.

"It's Riley." Riley told her. "I don't kill people for using it anymore."

She laughed but nodded. "No hard feelings?"

"I only hated you because you look like her." Riley told her. "I've forgiven her now and it's only right."

Riley walked over to his bike and sat on it even as Sam started hustling her family away into safety. "Cat not going to stay?" Joshua asked, appearing from where Max had been standing.

"They don't want me here, Joshua." Riley told him as he put his keys in the ignition. "It'll take more than what I've done before they trust me."

"Sam!" Riley shouted before she could completely disappear. "Where are you going to go?"

She turned and shrugged at him. "I don't know yet."

"I'm heading up to Canada soon to meet up with some others." Riley told her. "If you want to head in that direction I can go with you."

"Sure." Sam nodded.

"I'll need a couple of days." Riley told her before he turned to Max. "They can stay at Joshua's house for the time being. Logan's there at the moment."

"Why's Logan there?" She frowned.

"White traced him and shot up his place but we already had a plan." Riley told her. "He'll stay at Joshua's house for the time being."

"Okay." Max sighed. "Take care and make sure you say goodbye this time."

"I'm not Zack." Riley told her with a grin before gunning his engine and tearing off out of Terminal City.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

It took several days for Logan to get Riley, Sam, Hugh and their son Nicolas passes to cross the border into Canada but Riley was grateful for the time so he could be with Alec as much as was possible. He retained a certain level of aloofness around Sam and Hugh, a hint that their son didn't seem to get since he seemed to follow Riley everywhere he went. By the end of the week they were on their way North along the highway, away from Seattle, on two bikes and an SUV that Hugh drove with Nicolas in the back seat.

Riley said his goodbyes on their second morning as they were preparing to leave a rather run down Motel near a junction in the road. Sam planned to take her family further East away from Seattle but Riley was heading towards his family once again. He'd managed to track Zack's current phone through a chain of old cell numbers and message boxes and he had their current town location from a rather coded message that Zack had left in the message bin. As far as Riley could gather it the group he had seen had split in two with Zack heading off as a third group to meet up with Jondy, Alex and Matthew who Riley hadn't seen since they had escaped.

As far as he could tell Zane and Seth had disappeared off together while Sly and Krit had stayed with Charlie and Case. That made up eight of the original escapees. Max made the ninth but he knew that Brin had been recaptured and had now disappeared after Manticore had burned down. Ben and Tinga were the last two, the ones that had died.

Riley drove into Quesnel in British Columbia knowing that all eight of his family were in the town somewhere, including Zack. He was tempted to simply call Zack's cell phone and do it that way but the very idea of doing that made him feel bored so he pulled up on the outskirts of the town of fifteen thousand and walked the rest of the way in until he found a pub in the centre of the town which seemed to be surrounded in a lot of people and probably filled with more.

He had to stop just inside the door in surprise though when a guy his age walked passed him. If he wasn't a highly trained killing machine he might have done a double take. As it was he quickly found an excuse to get out of the pub and follow the young man. He took in everything he needed to. The grace of movement that belied the young man as a Transgenic, the ease around Normals that told Riley he was one of the original escapees. But more worryingly the eight men following the young man out of the pub.

From where Riley was following them he could hear them muttering about mutant freaks so he followed when they chased the young man, either Matthew or Alex, into an alley way. Or rather Matthew or Alex led them there since he could get the upper hand on them. Riley checked they were alone as he entered the alleyway, it was only the eight men as far as he could tell. The other Transgenic was invisible to his extra sense.

"Hey freak!" The Canadian leader yelled as he pulled a knife from his jacket.

The other Transgenic spun and blurred, knocking the knife from the man's hand in a split second. Riley joined the fight, taking down two before they realised they were surrounded. Riley knocked another out with his pistol and turned the end to face the last standing one just as the other Transgenic knocked out the others. "Start running." Riley hissed.

The man fled rather quickly. Riley holstered his pistol, glanced at the other Transgenic before vaulting up, firstly onto a window ledge and then onto the roof of the building next to the pub. He was sure that the guy would bring friends back with him. There was the slightest of scuffs as the other young man came up behind him and Riley turned to look at him in the dim glow of the pub's neon lights below them.

"You're one of us." He said.

"Keen observation." Riley narrowed his eyes as a wave of pain hit him that he couldn't completely push down. He knew his eyes had flashed with the pain by the other young man's slight reaction. "So are you Matthew or Alex?"

This time he jerked. "You're Riley?" Riley nodded slowly. "Oh dear Lady."

Riley tensed as his brother closed the gap between them in an instant and he remained still as his hands came up to settle on the sides of his face. Riley got a good look at him for the first time, taking in his dark blue eyes and the shape of his face. "Matthew." Riley sighed out with an emotion somewhere between relief and sadness.

Matthew hugged him tightly before anything more could be said and Riley returned the hug. Eventually Matthew pulled back. "Zane and Seth told us about what happened but Zack wouldn't contact you to get you to meet us."

"Sounds like Zack." Riley shrugged and moved to the edge of the wall to sit down. Matthew sat beside him and put an arm around his waist.

"So, how did you find us?" Matthew asked. "Or were you just heading through town?"

"I tracked down Zack." Riley grinned sideways at Matthew. "Actually it was rather easy, he's getting careless."

"Oh that's brilliant!" Matthew laughed. "I can't wait to see his face. Come on!"

Matthew leapt to his feet and dragged Riley up with him. Matthew dropped from the roof down onto the empty back street and Riley followed silently as Matthew led him through the town and off the more beaten tracks until they reached an old abandoned warehouse. Matthew led him inside and instantly Krit was in front of them. He took a moment to take in Riley before grabbing him up in a hug.

"Riley, this is great. Now all we need is Max!" Krit grinned at him as he pulled away. "I didn't know Zack called you."

"He didn't." Riley grinned back. "Max was a bit too busy with all the Transgenics in Seattle to come up here."

"Come on, the others are eating upstairs." Krit grabbed his hand and all but pulled him up a four flight set of stairs that led up the wall of the inside of the warehouse to a series of offices attached to the wall about half way up the right hand side. Riley followed Krit and Matthew into the room.

"Oh so Matthew returns?" Riley heard somebody say as he walked in the door. It had been another young man that he hadn't met before. Riley stared at him in the sudden silence his appearance had created. He had dark blond hair messed over his forehead and his lazy smile had only just been wiped from his face.

"Hello Alex." Riley whispered before glancing at Jondy, who's features were obvious to him. "Jondy."

"Riley?" Alex gasped. Riley turned to look at the only other person in the room he hadn't seen before. Jondy gaped at him. Sly, Zane and Seth were all smiling happily and in a second Riley was being tackled by the three he'd seen and the two new additions. He hugged them all and accepted shocked greetings. Jondy was crying by the end of it and even Alex couldn't completely hide his wet eyes.

"How did you find us?" Zack spoke up from just outside the group of eight.

Riley drew himself up with narrowed eyes. "Why can't you accept me Zack?" Riley asked. "It was you that betrayed me, not the other way around."

"You captured Zane and Seth." Zack argued.

"You think I had a choice?" Riley snapped taking a step forwards, his old guilt boiling up in him. "What about you? We've all done things we don't want to remember but we did them because we didn't have a choice." Riley closed the gap and pushed Zack back into the wall. Zack went rigid but didn't try to defend himself. "We all were there when we killed that prisoner in the forest. Do you remember that, Zack? Did we have a choice then? Do you think it got easier after you all left me there? They expected me to kill and follow orders. Do you have any idea what _I'm_ going through right now?"

Riley sagged and his head fell forwards into Zack's chest as he shuddered. Zack shocked him by bringing his arms up to circle him and the side of his head settled on the top of Riley's. "I'm so sorry, Riley." He whispered.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	16. Taking a stand

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 16; Taking a stand

**Quesnel – British Columbia**

As Riley woke from his first night in the warehouse in Quesnel he became aware of two things in particular. The first was that he wasn't with Alec and the second was that somebody had touched him on the shoulder to wake him. In an instant he reacted and in a deft twist he rolled up onto his shoulder, wrapped his right leg around the other person's neck before rolling them both other, sending the other flying over him until they came to a stop with Riley's elbow across the person's throat.

It was only then that Riley found out that he couldn't sense the other person with his extra sense and that he in fact recognised them. "Opps." Riley said and grinned down at him. "Sorry Zane."

"Why do you keep jumping me?" Zane groaned.

"I didn't hit you this time though." Riley laughed before he took his weight onto his free hand and pushed away.

"You two having fun there?" Riley turned and growled at Sly. Her petite form standing in the doorway to the office space where eight camp beds had been set up. Riley had taken a watch the night before and was among the last to wake up. Sly, Zane and Jondy were also just getting up. Riley reminded himself that he was shirtless and he grabbed his black t-shirt as he stood and stretched.

"I'd happily be pinned by you." Jondy laughed flashing her teeth to show she was joking.

"Thanks sis." Riley smirked. "But Alec's more than enough for me."

"Alec?" Jondy raised an eyebrow.

"494." Riley said simply.

"You and Ben's twin are shacking up?" Alex asked as he appeared in the door. Riley turned emotionless eyes on the man he hadn't seen in so many years.

"You love him?" Sly asked getting serious. Riley nodded simply. "He loves you?"

"Yeah." Riley spoke aloud to make it clear.

"That's good enough for us then." Alex grinned and jumped forward to hug Riley. Riley swatted him on the head as they broke apart. "Zack's offering to take you out to pick up your bike."

"Is he now?" Riley laughed. "Better not keep the lord and master waiting. Let's see if I can still sneak up on him. Last time we got in a tangle he was gunning for Max and I threw a tyre hub at him."

"Oh, the classics." Sly laughed.

Riley held up a finger as he walked out of the room already silent as he moved. He stepped out onto the balcony and saw Zack in the doorway talking to Seth. Neither were looking his way. "Twenty says you can't." Zane whispered from behind him.

"I say he can." Alex argued. "He always could in Manticore when we were kids."

"But he's got all those gizmos now." Zane pointed out.

Riley shot them a look and they went quite. He bunched his muscles and leapt straight and into the air and out over the three story fall silently assessing and grabbing onto one of the metal supports that crisscrossed the ceiling. Rather than letting his weight settle on it he rolled around it once before leaping to the next one and then on to another one to the right so he was out of the line between Zack and the offices in case he turned to look for any reason. On a few occasions he found that the beams he was about to go for were either cracked or didn't look like they hold him without making sound and instead of rolling around and onto them he settled silently within the girders before leaping forwards and over the damaged one and down onto the next one.

He could feel the weight of the four X-5s behind him but was confident as he came to a full stop directly above Zack and Seth that the two had no clue what was happening. A three floor drop was too much for even Riley to do without making any noise, let alone silently enough for an X5 not to hear him. Instead he did a back flip off the top of the beam towards the wall where he silently caught onto the frame of an old window. He hung there pulling his weight back on his arm and pressing his legs into the wall. He bunched his legs up and flipped back again only a half second later and landed in utter silence right behind where Zack was standing. He twisted around and let a slight tap on Zack's shoulder.

To his credit Zack didn't look in either direction and, taken by surprise, he ducked forwards and around. Riley was already moving with his peripheral vision though and he jumped forward and swatted the guy on the back of the head, only waiting long enough in his move so that Zack recognised him. That way Zack would retaliate.

Cheers erupted through the warehouse and Riley laughed at Zack's outraged expression. Seth laughed with him and Riley ducked into his big brother's side and hugged him with one arm around his waist. It only took the other four a few seconds to arrive and they tussled with Riley for a few moments at Zack's expense.

"If anybody can best Zack it's you." Sly laughed.

"If I could get a word in please?" Zack asked demurely.

"Don't let it get to you, Zack." Alex grinned.

"Alright." Zack shrugged. "I won't. I was only going to tell you all that Charlie just called."

"As in Case and Charlie?" Sly asked.

Zack nodded. "Charlie saw Lydecker lurking outside the school when he picked Case up yesterday afternoon. And called me this morning when he dropped Case off, he wants us to meet him."

"Let's go Lydecker hunting!" Jondy grinned.

"I need to talk to him actually." Riley said.

"Talk to him?" Zane frowned at him. "You know this is Lydecker right?"

"You remember I mentioned about people from where I was born coming to find me?" Riley asked of Sly, Seth and Zane. "Well they've come and Lydecker knows enough about them to be of help."

"You can't trust anything he tells you." Zack told him.

"I'm not going to take what he says as gospel." Riley glared at him briefly. "Anyway, we don't all need to go."

"You want to do it alone?" Zack asked. "That aint going to happen."

"Fine, you come too then." Riley shrugged. "Just don't shoot him till I'm done."

"Then can I?" Zack asked.

"No." Riley told him. "You might not understand but without Manticore around he's more interested in our survival than our captivity."

"So you think he's a saint?" Zack asked. Riley realised they were standing in the middle of the other five who were watching this argument like a tennis match.

"I think you need to shut up and stop lecturing me as if you're my commanding officer." Riley told him making him flinch in surprise. Riley shook his head slowly. "Sorry. I'm just worried about them and Lydecker's the only one that can tell me what they are."

"_What_ they are?" Sly frowned.

"I'll explain when we get back." Riley promised.

"We're not coming back here. Not after what you and Alex ran into last night. We'll meet at the Alpha site." Zack told them all. "Krit and Matthew already know where to go."

"You wouldn't think he'd been away from Manticore for ten years would you?" Sly whispered to Seth though they all heard. Riley smiled happily at them, finally feeling comfortable around them all.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Forty minutes later**

As it turned out Charlie had taken a house in a small town about fifteen miles east of Quesnel and after Zack dropped Riley off at his bike it only took the two a short mile to ride out to the town. Zack led the way through the town and down into a housing estate about a mile and a half past the town school. As they came to a stop Riley cut his engine and looked around the small alleyway that Zack had led him to.

Zack climbed off his own bike and together they walked through the estate and while they didn't move as stealthily as they could have they kept an eye out for anybody that could be watching them. Riley left himself fully open to his extra sense and looked for everybody on his senses making sure there were no surveillance teams in windows and so on.

As they turned into a side road Zack pointed to a house three down on the other side of the road and Riley paused and listened to his senses. Zack clearly wasn't that used to Riley's added advantage and Riley caught his arm as he made to move. "There's a single person in that house, one in the house on the right. But there are three people in the boarded up house across the road from Charlie's." Riley told him.

"I forgot about that." Zack admitted.

"The boarded up house?" Riley asked cheekily.

"Your ability obviously." Zack chuckled and together they ducked out of the way. "You think they're a surveillance team?"

"Not a clue but they don't seem to be moving at all."

"I remember when we were younger you could only tell the general area. How accurate are you now?"

"We'll I couldn't tell you which room they were in unless I had a floor plan." Riley told him. "But I can tell if they are moving and could shoot them blind from a fair distance."

"Awesome." Zack said simply. "We'd better go surprise them and see who they are."

"You're the boss." Riley grinned and together they vaulted up the side of the closest house and jumped from roof top to roof top until they reached the boarded up house where after Riley checked the three people's exact position they fell down onto the small balcony overlooking the back garden. The door had been forced but you had to open it to find that out. Zack opened it carefully, checking for trip wires or sensors and the two slipped in silently. They both paused once the door was closed and settled down to listen.

The three men were completely silent. Riley couldn't hear them at all even though he knew where they were. That was until they heard the sound of something being moved across something else and then the distinct sound of a can being opened. "Chuck us one of those will you, George?"

"Subtle." Zack whispered only loud enough that Riley heard him. In those simple movements they'd told Riley and Zack that they weren't viewers of the house and that they'd set themselves up for the long run. "Ghost them?"

"Let's find out who they work for before we decide whether to kill them." Riley whispered back. "If Max finds out I killed them I'll never hear the end of it."

Zack chuckled before moving forwards along the landing to where the stairs led off to the left and the door to the three people was on the right. Zack stopped on the other side and made a few gestures to tell Riley they'd lure them out and take them rather than jump into a scene they knew nothing about. Riley nodded and drew his pistol from under his jacket before he opened another nearby door and stepped back into the portal so that he wouldn't be seen immediately.

Zack tested the floor in a couple of places before smirking over at Riley and then placed his weight directly on a creaky floorboard which made a horrendous noise in the silence. Riley heard the three people in the room scramble up from where they'd been sitting and watched as Zack leapt up into the air. He wedged his arms and legs out into the corners where the walls joined the ceilings so that he wouldn't be seen instantly when they came out of the room.

It was only a few seconds before the door cracked open and a man peered out. They obviously weren't mercenaries or professionals otherwise they would have used a scope instead of risking their own heads, literally. Not seeing anything straight away the man crept out and aimed his gun down the corridor as he crept forwards. Ironically stepping on the same creaky floorboard as Zack had lured them out with.

The other two men followed him out and they stopped at the top of the stairs, one looking towards Riley's hiding place, the other standing directly under Zack and the other was just about to step out onto the stairs. Riley spun out of his hiding place and the poor man in front of him didn't even have enough time to react to him before Riley knocked him out with a blow to the side of his head. A rather gentle one, he'd probably wake up in a few minutes.

Riley twisted around the falling man and kicked the middle man in the stomach, forcing the air out of his lungs and sending him flying into Zack's waiting hands and his older brother knocked him senseless against the wall. The third man was already unconscious after Zack had dropped down at him from the ceiling.

With Zack's help they hauled the three men back into the room and handcuffed them together and around a timber beam that ran up the far wall where the plastering had come away. Riley looked over the room, taking in the small hole in the boarded up window where a camera lens was set up. There was a stack of rubbish, about the right amount to suggest they'd been there for three or four days at the most. A couple of cots lay against one wall and a few discarded items of clothing lay about.

"They're cops." Zack told him and Riley looked to where he was going through their three wallets. "Mounties."

Riley quickly thought back to his training in Manticore. Mounties were the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, they were in essence the national police force. "Any idea who they're working for?"

"There's nothing here." Zack shook his head.

Riley sighed and moved over to crouch beside Zack and opposite the man he'd knocked the wind out of. He reached forward and pinched the man over a pressure point just under his ear. The man started awake with a pained gasp. "I'm sorry to wake you up like that." Riley lied. "But we'd like some answers."

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"He said we wanted answers not questions." Zack told him simply. "Who gave you orders to recon that house?"

"You're military." The man frowned. Riley glanced at Zack for his use of military terms.

"You're not answering our questions." Riley sighed and in a second drew his pistol and pressed it against the inside of the man's thigh, just above his knee. "You've got exactly five seconds before I pull the trigger and then another ten seconds before I shoot this other guy through the head."

Four long seconds past and Riley sighed dramatically and made as if to pull the trigger. "Wait!" The man gasped out, obviously not willing to lose the use of his leg over the information. "A man from CFMP."

Riley frowned but had already recognised the term from his training. "What do the Canadian Forces Military Police want with them?"

"They're hunting for somebody and they think he'll make contact with them soon." The man told him.

"What was the man's name?" Riley asked.

"Robert Fairgrove." He told Riley quickly as if a single pause would set the gun off.

"Do you have a number for him?" Riley asked. The man shook his head and Riley saw no attempt to lie in his expression and nodded before slamming his pistol up into the man's chin, knocking him out again. "Let's get going. We'll have to relocate them."

"Lydecker?" Zack asked.

"It's one of his alias' that Manticore gave him. It was one of the names he drilled into us in case Manticore was compromised." Riley told him as he deftly took apart the films from the camera. "In case he needed to contact us without his name."

"Why would he use it now?" Zack asked.

"A better question would be why did he set these men up to get caught?" Riley asked. "He had to know we wouldn't miss them or just walk up to the house. He might expect such a slip from one of you but he knows by training too well."

Zack let that comment slide and focused on the task as they headed back out of the house. "Why then?"

"I think he wants to talk." Riley told him. "He had to know that it wouldn't take you lot long to realise that Charlie and Case were being watched and Lydecker knows Charlie would recognise him and yet he let himself be seen at the school twice in a row."

"Good point." Zack nodded. "But he knows we'd rather just kill him than listen to him. He must be getting complacent."

"He'll have something that's worth enough for you to keep him alive." Riley shrugged as they approached the house. The person he could sense was up in the back of the house. "I can only tell there's a person in there on their own, not who they are or whether they are transgenic or normal."

"You go around the back then and come in when I ring the door bell." Zack told him. "Just in case."

Riley jerked his head in agreement and quickly made his way back into the back garden which was rather overgrown. He made sure to stay well out of sight of the window to the area of the house he could sense the person to be in and to stay out of sight of the other houses with occupants. He sidled up to the back door and peeked inside just in case. He doubted a stray X5 could be there but he wasn't stupid. He checked the door for traps and finding none waited another few seconds until he heard the doorbell within the house ring. He cracked open the door and slipped inside and quickly crossed the kitchen to the open door into the hallway.

He spied Charlie coming down the stairs and as soon as the man opened the front door to see Zack he walked through the hallway and leaned against the wall just out of Charlie's peripheral vision. "Zack. I'm glad you came but you should hurry inside. There's some men watching the house."

"Not anymore." Riley spoke up making Charlie jump around in shock and tumbled back into the wall. Riley caught his arm to steady him. "We took care of them."

"You're..." Charlie frowned, "...Riley?"

"Got it in one." Riley nodded with a smirk on his face. "Wanted to come see my nephew."

"You came all the way from Seattle just to see Case?" Charlie frowned.

"No, I happened to be up with Zack and the others when Zack got your message. I've got something to talk to Lydecker about." Riley shrugged.

"But for now I think it might be best if we get you and Case out of town." Zack suggested as he came inside and shut the door. "Before Lydecker finds out his men are tied up."

"I'm already packed." Charlie said.

"Good." Riley said. "Let's go get Case from school. I can scope out Lydecker once you and Case are safe."

Riley went for his bike while Zack helped Charlie load his car and once ready he led Charlie out down the roads until Zack joined them on his own bike. Zack clearly knew where the school was so Riley stayed in front of the car keeping an eye out in his mirrors in case they were being followed but they arrived at the school without trouble and since they knew that they'd be able to drive out of here and evade anybody trying to follow them they parked in the main car park and together went into the school's front reception.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" A woman asked as she met them after buzzing them in.

"Hi, my name's Charlie Smith, this is my nephew, Riley and his friend Zack. I'm here to pick up my son, Case Smith from Mrs. Hopkins class." Charlie said without pausing. Riley accepted his new position as Case's cousin and smiled at the woman. She made no indication that she thought there was something suspicious and clearly didn't notice that Riley and Zack were armed, nor that they'd automatically taken defensive positions on Charlie's flanks.

"Normally you should call us, Mr. Smith." The woman told him.

"I'm sorry, I would have but it's an emergency. We really have to leave soon if we're going to make it before dark." Charlie lied smoothly.

"I understand. I'll need some form of picture ID, Mr. Smith." She said and led them to a desk as soon as Charlie handed her his driving license and the Canadian passport that Logan had given him that he knew had both Charlie and Case in. "If you'll just sign in here, I'll go and let the Principle know you're waiting. He has to okay any of the students leaving."

Riley and Zack waited impatiently but neither let away any emotion that they were anxious. When a man in his early forties appeared they both tensed. "Mr. Smith. It's a pleasure to see you again. Miss. Lionel tells me you've got an emergency and you need to take Charlie out of school. Can I enquire as to the nature of the emergency."

Charlie paused and Riley reacted so that the other normal wouldn't notice. "It's my mom," Riley told the man. "I was visiting my Uncle Charlie but she was hit by a car this morning. I need to get back to her but she and Case are really close."

"Can it not possibly wait until after classes let out this afternoon?" The Principle asked.

Riley turned his head away in a good impression of trying to calm himself. "I'm afraid by what the doctors told me we'll be lucky to get there much before she passes away."

"Oh!" The Principle was surprised. "I'm very sorry to hear that young man. Of course we'll be happy to let Case out of classes for you. I'm afraid he's currently with a visitor."

"What do you mean?" Charlie frowned and straightened up. Riley and Zack tensed as well.

"He arrived this morning. A Doctor Schwalz. His credentials checked out so we didn't see the harm in it. He merely pointed out that he'd seen Case before and asked to speak to him concerning his above average abilities." The Principle told him. "It's about what we've talked about before, Mr. Smith."

"Letting a stranger talk to him wasn't what I was talking about." Charlie seemed ready to argue but Riley stepped up to his side and touched him on the arm.

"Please, Sir. If you could just take us to him we would be grateful. We really shouldn't be wasting time like this. I would hate to be late." Riley told him.

"Of course, this way." The Principle led them down the hall and past several classrooms until they reached an empty room. Charlie turned the Principle.

"Perhaps the fewer of us the better, Sir." Charlie said. "We'll make sure to sign out when we leave."

"Oh..." The Principle paused but after glancing at Riley he nodded and headed off back down the corridor.

"Stay here, Charlie." Riley told the man. "I know Case is your son but we need to get close enough to him that he can't use Case as a shield against us."

Any argument from the man vanished from his lips at the last bit of Riley's statement and Riley deftly opened the door silently just wide enough for him to slip in unseen. The door was shielded from the room by a short wall of pegs for hanging coats and Riley moved to the edge listening to the familiar voice of Lydecker as he coaxed a seemingly reluctant eight year old into doing what he wanted. By the texture of the voice Riley knew that Lydecker had set himself up with his back to the door in favour of seeing out of the windows and Riley scanned over his observations before moving even an inch.

The sun was in the right place to come in through the windows which meant the main light was off so he wouldn't cast a shadow that Lydecker could see and the windows wouldn't give Lydecker a clear reflection of him. Riley slipped out a small mirror and checked around the corner of the wall for mirrors or anything that would give him away before he turned back to the slightly open door and nodded at Zack and gave him the signal to wait until he engaged. He slipped out his pistol and just to be on the safe side took of the safety before he made his move.

In three silent steps he slipped right up behind Lydecker just as he spoke. "You remember this puzzle don't you...?"

He stopped as Case jerked in his seat and looked right at Riley but Lydecker didn't move a muscle as he felt Riley's pistol against the side of his neck. "One move, Lydecker and Case witnesses your death."

"You'd do that, Riley?" Lydecker asked in a slick voice full of self assurance. He was good at hiding his startled emotions. "Let him see you kill?"

"Get away from my nephew you piece of shit!" Riley snapped and in a swift movement hoisted Lydecker clear of his chair and tossed him onto the ground. His pistol came to aim at him and Lydecker didn't attempt to move especially when Zack led Charlie into the room. Case ran to his father and smiled shyly at Zack.

"You." Lydecker sighed looking at Zack. "I didn't think I'd see you again."

"After I sacrificed myself for Max you mean?" Zack asked.

Riley turned to Zack but Lydecker knew he wasn't stupid enough to take his attention away from him so he didn't try to move. "Get out of here. I'll meet up with you later."

"You sure?" Zack asked.

"Just get going, Zack." Riley told him. Zack nodded and together he led Charlie and Case from the room. Riley turned back to Lydecker. "You know I'll kill you before you can reach your gun so don't bother with something so mundane."

"You want to talk then, Riley?" Lydecker asked sitting up slowly. Riley backed off.

"Unfortunately it won't be long before that Principle you tricked comes to find you." Riley told him. "Which unfortunately for you means I don't have time to put up with your bullshit. The others all wanted to come too and put a bullet in you and while you have given me a warning or two I'm still not fully decided on whether to not do so myself."

"What good would that do you?" Lydecker asked.

"Well you did teach us to never leave an enemy behind if he knows too much about you." Riley told him. "You certainly qualify as that."

"I know how you work, Riley." Lydecker nodded. "So I know that if you'd come to kill me you would have done it from the door regardless of whether Case had to watch and even if you'd gone soft enough to care what the lad saw you'd still have shot me as soon as he was out of the door."

"True," Riley nodded. "Which concludes to the fact I want information from you. I want to know more about these men that keep trying to hunt me and why they can vanish out of my own room."

"Ah." Lydecker sighed. "I'd been having trouble finding out they'd found you."

"They seem to be good at finding where I stay but miserable at tracking me." Riley told him.

"Actually from what I've heard they are quite skilled at tracking but you're not exactly an easy target to find." Lydecker told him before pushing himself onto his feet and straightening his suit. "If they've come for you I'd imagine they want your help."

"They do." Riley nodded. "Though there seems to be some indecision amongst them about whether to force me to do what they want or simply ask."

"Yet they haven't asked yet?" Lydecker asked.

"They seem content to watch me from a distance and they try to be subtle about it." Riley snorted. "They stand out like blimps to me."

"I had wondered about that." Lydecker mumbled. "We had thought of seeing how you'd react to an attack from them but the risk was too great."

"You were going to pit me against them when I didn't know about them." Riley narrowed his eyes. Lydecker didn't seem to care.

"Listen to me, Riley." Lydecker said instead. "You will have to face them eventually and if you are to survive that word you will have to rely on what you were taught in Manticore."

"You mean how to kill." Riley said simply.

"And to rely on your allies to help you." Lydecker continued, ignoring Riley's comment. "They can track you if you stay still for too long but their spells don't work on the other X5s. You'll need their help."

"That's why I came up here in the first place." Riley shrugged. "Max and Alec have already agreed to help."

"An interesting combination." Lydecker commented. "Just remember that you'll need to be ruthless. If you don't kill them they'll kill you with something you can't understand."

"Lydecker." Riley snorted. "You just don't understand me like I thought you did. I'll never die."

Riley laughed as he holstered his gun and headed for the door. "Riley. One last thing."

"What?"

"The cult that White is part of?" Lydecker asked rather than stated. Riley nodded to show he knew about them. "They are linked to the Wizards somehow. Sandeman, the head researcher, the one who created you and added the codes to Max's DNA is the link. I've found mention of him in Britain. Somehow they had something to do with his disappearance."

"I'll tell Max." Riley jerked his head and slipped out of the door. Heading out of the school without being seen and following the ten minute old trail of his older brother, nephew and his nephew's father.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Riley sat on his bike in the driveway of the new house that Charlie and Case had moved into. Riley had convinced Zack that changing their names wouldn't be necessary as he thought that Lydecker had only taken an interest in Case because he was the only one that could be tracked to get to Riley.

"Do you really need to leave already?" Sly asked him. The whole group had been staying with Charlie for a few days and some would stay on for the time being. There was Zack, Alex, Matthew, Zane, Seth and Krit as well as the two girls Sly and Jondy. Case was sitting on the bike between Riley and the handlebars but he'd be off of there soon enough. Currently the eight year old was playing with the ignition switch trying to dare himself to turn the key. Riley sat poised to stop him if he tried.

"Everything's gone bad down in Seattle. Max and Alec helped rescue an 'Arctic' from White yesterday and he's got the whole city up in arms over it." Riley sighed. "I can't leave her and Alec in there without going back to help."

"Just be careful, alright?" Krit asked. "And you have a number to reach Zack now and you can come find us whenever you want."

"And you can call for us if you need anything." Jondy nodded.

"We'll come in guns-ablazing!" Matthew grinned.

"Once this is all over we can get back to our friends and families." Alex said quietly. He had a long term girlfriend and an adopted twelve year old boy. Riley touched him on the arm knowing what wasn't being vocalised. None of them wanted to risk those they'd come to know in their lives by being around them right now and had come together without them.

"And these Wizard things." Zane said. "You call, we'll come. Lydecker's right with at least that. You can't go against this magic alone and you shouldn't have to especially when we finally have an advantage that you don't."

"You're just going to keep rubbing that in aren't you Zane?" Riley asked with a roll of his eyes.

Zane smirked at him before hugging him. The rest all hugged him goodbye and finally after a long hug with Zack and a chirpy one from Case he let Charlie take the little boy, shook his hand, and gunned the engine. Soon he was heading south again towards Seattle.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

He drove through the night and arrived at the city early the next evening and as he drove through the town he took in yet another change in the mindset. He could see graffiti and banners all over the place declaring the Normals attitude towards the Transgenics. People were worked up about everything to do with them and he heard several people shouting on street corners about mutants being amongst them.

Riley slowed as he approached the barrier of the Sector Four check point. He'd already called Alec and was going to meet him in Terminal City. Supposedly he and Max had been busy putting in a good word for him and the others were willing to at least listen to him. They probably believed that no Transgenic would go against another by choice so were willing to hear his reasons for working with White.

A line of cars sat parked on the right of the road as they waited there turn to be searched and let through but Riley drove past them and towards the barrier. A short line of half a dozen people waited to have their passes checked and a couple of them glanced at him as he stopped the bike in front of the barrier and reached inside his jacket for his federal ID to get him through.

He showed it to the guard who glanced at it and turned and nodded at the Sector Policeman at the controls but just as the guy turned away to lift the barrier they both paused. Riley just about heard the crackle of the radios in their ears and tensed slightly as all six of the guards at the gate turned to look at him. The Solder in front of him tightened his hold on his assault rifle and started to lift it to aim at Riley even as his mouth opened to speak.

Riley was faster though and the guy was close to him, within arm's reach. He grabbed the man by the assault rifle and pulled the man off his feet and past him into the into the line of pedestrians.

"Freeze, mutant!" The guy by the gate controls yelled and aimed at him. Riley gunned the engine and the front of his bike raised off the ground. He threw his weight forward again and the front wheel came down on the barrier, shattering it. Riley ducked a bullet that flew at him from behind and to the right, by the parked cars before he gunned the engine and tore off into sector four.

He'd barely gone a few metres before he spotted a plain brown car pull out from the side of the road. His vision gave him a view of two men in the front seat and some kind of device in the window. He easily tore past them before they picked up speed and he led them on a chase towards Terminal City only three minutes away at the bikes top speed within the city. He still had them on his trail when he came to Terminal City but something had changed. Across the entrance he was heading for was a solid looking gate of corrugated iron and since it had clearly been placed by the Transgenics he knew he'd never get through it with his bike.

He raised his hand and knowing there'd be a sentry at the gate he sent a brief single with his hand an arm to tell them that he was Manticore. It didn't take long before he spied the barrier's flip back off of the road and into the sides of the buildings. He pulled his pistol as he crossed under the gate and before the barrier came down he fired two shots. One went straight through the window of the car chasing him, wounding the driver, and the other hit the front right wheel as the car began to turn. He heard the distinct sound of the car hitting something solid as the barriers came down and he tiredly pulled the bike to a full stop and dropped the stand before relaxing.

That was until two figures he hadn't noticed with his senses stepped out of the shadows. X5-728 and X5-635. He knew that there were three Transgenics behind him as well but they were on his senses so he would know if they made a move. He made no attempt to show that he knew about the ones behind him and kept his concentration on the two X5s as he got off his bike.

"862." 635 said simply.

"Riley." Riley told him. "Thanks for opening the gate."

"If we'd known it was you we might not have." 728 told him.

"And then what do you think Alec would have done to you?" Riley asked.

"Taken you apart piece by piece." Alec snarled before he appeared out of the same shadows as the other two. "You can leave him alone right now."

"Alec? You alright?" Riley asked in concern. He was pissed off about something.

"Me and Joshua were just about to head out." Alec motioned with his head and Riley turned to see that one of the ones that had come up behind him was Joshua. "To get revenge on the guys that killed Biggs."

"Biggs is dead?" Riley asked in surprise. He'd never really had anything against the other X5. They'd been pitted against each other a few times here and there but never had any underlying anger at each other even if Biggs had been the one to help Alec kill his last remaining relatives. That was hardly anymore Biggs' fault as it was Alec's.

"You wanna come with?" Alec asked.

"I would..." Riley paused. "But I'm quite tired. If I can't be sure I'll be safe sleeping here then I'll head to Joshua's place."

"You'll be safe enough here." Alec told him before stepping up to him and pecking him on the cheek. "Apart from a few idiots like these two everybody else gets what you did. Some owe their lives to you after all."

"Thanks for talking to them." Riley told him and glanced behind him to Joshua. "Be careful, both of you. It's getting weird out there."

"Yeah, what happened to you?" Alec asked.

"Some of White's goons blew my cover at a sector gate." Riley sighed. "Don't know how though."

"Infrared scanners." 728 grunted. "Got a whole bunch of us."

"Max is up at the HQ." Alec told him gently. "She'll fill you in and I'll be back soon."

Riley nodded and kissed him quickly before getting back on his bike. "Big group of people one click dead ahead?" Riley asked.

"That's the one." 728 told him. "Don't get lost."

Riley snorted. "You've got to get your head examined if you think that's possible."

It wasn't long after that Riley was walking up a flight of stairs and into a busy room. He could sense most in the room and a quick glance compared what he felt and what he saw and he found another two X5s in the room. One he knew from Manticore and the other was Max. "Riley!" Max called to him as soon as she looked down at him.

"Hey Max." Riley said simply and walked up a short set of steps and past all of the other classes of Transgenics. He returned the glare of a desert fighter with a Cigar in his mouth without missing a step and was soon returning Max's hug. "I'm sorry about Biggs."

"He was beat to death and strung up in the middle of the street." Max told him sadly.

"And they call us monsters." A tech Transgenic chipped in. Riley gave him a haunty look and he turned back to the screen.

"We're trying to find a lead on where White is rounding up all the Transgenics." Max told him.

"I suppose I could have a look." Riley sighed. "How long you have?"

"They're being moved tonight into a more secure place." Max told him.

"Alright." Riley sighed. "I can probably find it fast enough, I know enough about their way of working but I'll need my own set up and not this junk." Riley ignored the glance from the techie. "But I'm going to Crash for a drink first."

"What happened up in Canada?" Max asked.

"In short?" Riley paused and drew in a theatrical breath. "I met all of the others together for the first time, went to save Charlie and Case again and talked to Lydecker."

Max's eyes went wide. "You're not leave again." She said simply. "You saw all the others?"

"I saw most but it was the first time I've seen Jondy, Alex and Matthew." Riley sighed and leaned back against the rickety banister. "It was... nice." Riley finished pathetically.

"What about...?" Max asked nervously.

"They've all agreed to help me if I call them." Riley told her. "And I have a number for Zack if we need him and others down here because of White and the Coven."

"You told them about it all?" Max asked with relief.

"As much of it as I could." Riley nodded.

"Not this bit though." Max lifted her arm and drew up her sleeve. Riley frowned and lightly gripped her wrist looking at the little black symbols on her skin. "They appeared suddenly. Logan's trying to translate them."

"That's kind of freaky." Riley frowned. "Sandeman?" Max nodded. "Lydecker mentioned him. He's in with White's cult, Max. And with the Wizards."

Max frowned. "I don't think you should mention that to Joshua."

"I know." Riley nodded. "I'm going to go get a drink at Crash and then try and find this place for you. I'll call you when I have something."

"Take this." Max scribbled on a scrap of paper and gave it to him. On it was a cell number. "It's the systems number."

"I'll ping the computer once I'm online with Logan." Riley nodded.

Max hugged him again and Riley headed out and back to his bike, taking a small exit out of Terminal City and making sure not to attract attention as he went.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Crash**

Riley scanned the crowd as he walked in. He'd risked the checkpoint to get here and the guards hadn't even glanced at him twice so he'd been confident that he could move around like he used to except now he looked for any of White's men at the sector points as he approached. He quickly caught sight of two people he knew up near the back of the bar and he quickly bought a drink and careful not to be seen headed in their direction. Staying out of their sight as he leaned on a pillar near to them and listened into their conversation without looking at them again.

From what he gathered Original Cindy had given Max and Alec away to Sketchy when Otto and his gang and burst into Jam Pony. The only reason he wasn't pissed at her was because she'd only given it away in order to rescue Alec's and Max's files from the office. Sketchy had merely been with her when it happened and she'd weighed the risks and come out just like any Transgenic would have.

"No." Sketchy sighed. "You're right. It's all good."

Riley pushed away from the pillar and turned into Original Cindy's view. She dropped her glass and couldn't recover in time before Riley spun the spare seat around and sat with his back to the room. "So glad to hear you say that Sketchy." Riley chuckled. "But do I really need to threaten you like I did to her?"

"What?" Sketchy frowned at Original Cindy before turning back to Riley. "You're one too? But you're a cop."

"Supposedly." Riley shrugged. "They gave me the ID to help me move around. Easier to hunt people down."

"Riley." Original Cindy warned him.

"Listen Sketchy." Riley turned to him with a serious look. "Max likes you and she's one of mine so I won't warn you too much but if you let this slip then I'll hunt you down. And if it hurts Alec you'd better run boy or you'll never see light again. You got that?"

"Crystal." Sketchy told him with wide eyes.

"Good." Riley nodded. "Have a good night then."

Riley chuckled as he finished his drink, left it on a table as he past and then left the club.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Joshua's house**

"You know their problem?" Riley asked from where he sat at the computer.

"No." Logan told him without moving from the armchair. He'd brought Riley's set up out into the main room and let Riley hijack it for the evening, putting a temporary hold on his research for the time being.

"They find a way to do something and then stick to it regardless." Riley told him.

"You found them?" Logan was surprised. Riley had only been working for around half an hour.

"I said I doubted it would be difficult." Riley laughed before letting his fingers fly across the keyboard as he began hacking in to White's mobile mainframe. It was very similar to a police mobile command post except it contained much better equipment and didn't link into the same system as the police used. You really had to know where to look to find the data stream it used and then you had to deal with the firewall they were using. Hacking in the last time had been easier because he'd already laid hours worth of pathways and traps into the system while they were chasing their tails trying to trace Logan's hacks. This time was more difficult though because he had to break directly through their firewalls.

"Where are they?" Logan asked.

"Well it's not like it's just going to tell me where it is, Logan. You know that." Riley rolled his eyes before he reached up and turned on his third screen and opened another program which he used to start uplinking to every satellite in range. "They're using a Satellite link though."

"And that's supposed to be good news?" He asked.

"Well I can cross-reference the data stream." Riley told him as if it was obvious. Even as he spoke his third screen started comparing the data streams for all of the closest satellites trying to find a match. It didn't take him long to find the one he wanted and he brought it up and queried the satellite for the distance and it gave him the information required. "And then ask the satellite how far away it is from the source of the signal."

"I get it." Logan nodded from where he'd move to linger over Riley's shoulder. Riley brought up a map of the northern continent of America and over it and the eastern Pacific Ocean appeared a large red circle going up through Canada but most importantly through Seattle. He zoomed in on Seattle and noted the line passed through three of the sectors. "Can you get anything more than that?"

"I'm monitoring their data stream, if they shift to use another as their primary then I can do the same for that and cross their lines." Riley told him. "But the others can use this, they'll just have to send several teams." Riley pulled out the piece of paper Max had given him and pinged the systems that the Transgenic had set up. It took a few moments before the face of one of the techies appeared on his screen. "Is Max there?"

"She went out." He told him.

"Alright, I'll get her on her cell. I'm sending you a trace on White's hideout. It's a satellite range but it give us somewhere to start. If he shift satellite I can pin point him though." Riley told him.

The techie grinned. "Send it here."

Riley sent him the information and then cut the connection. He pulled his phone and dialled Max's number from memory but it just went onto answer phone but what interested him was the almost too quiet to hear click just as it did. Somebody was tracing the call. He swore and plugged his cell into a cable on his computer and used his computer to lock onto the call. He blocked the trace without explaining to Logan what was happening although the man got the idea while watching him.

It took a few minutes before he'd killed their trace and counter hacked into Max's phone. He didn't bother trying to hack into their system but instead uplinked to a satellite and used it to trace Max's cell phone. He had a position before the people with it realised what he was doing but as soon as they did the signal went dead as they turned off her phone. He pulled out and carefully hid his trail, he would have preferred to spend an hour or so hacking into their system again and screwing it up but he didn't have the luxury.

"That was interesting." Riley commented before cross-referencing the position with the map of Seattle he already had running. "And why isn't that a surprise?" He asked Logan as the little red dot of Max's cell phone was lying on top of the thin red line of the satellite range.

"What's happened to her?" Logan asked in concern.

"How should I know?" Riley asked and dialled Terminal City again getting through quickly. "I'm sending you an updated position, somebody tried to trace my call to Max's cell when she didn't answer. I'm not saying necessarily that she's in Logan's HQ but the position matches the range I sent you."

"Got it." The techie told him.

"Is Alec back yet?" Riley asked. "If he is ask him to meet me near the place and we'll bust her out. Anybody else is welcome too."

Riley signed off and handed the computer back to Logan before leaving the building and hopping onto his bike. He really just wanted to get this over with and get some rest.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley waited in an alley way near to the front of the warehouse that matched the location of where Max was being held. There were sentries in the upper windows but apart from that they were being subtle. It was a shame that their computer techs weren't as good at hiding themselves. At his side sat Alec on his own bike and behind them two X-6's who had volunteered to help. Riley was leaning against the front listening carefully to what was going on inside.

They'd been trying to think of a way to get in and out with Max and the others without being seen until it was too late but planning had gone out of the window when gun shots had rang out from inside and the two sentries from the upper windows had vanished. Riley heard a truck rev up and switched on his own engine, a motion copied by the others. A second later there was a crash of wood and the doors to the warehouse burst apart, showering the road with wood as an armoured truck crashed out onto the road. It went up onto two wheels as it turned and Riley caught sight of Max in the driver's seat. It roared past them within half a second and a second later five men ran out of the warehouse and began firing after it.

Riley roared out of the alleyway and straight past the closest man, White. He clothes-lined him as he accelerated and watched as Alec pulled past him and took out two more men. The two X6s took out the last two and together they roared after the truck, easily catching up to it. Riley signalled for the X6s to take post behind the truck while he and Alec roared past. Alec took a position a hundred metres in front while Riley pulled up close to the driver's window and looked at Max. He rolled his eyes and she shrugged as if to say 'What can you do?'

Riley laughed and took off after Alec and led Max and her passengers back to Terminal city while holding a silent conversation with Alec with hand signals.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Joshua's house (M-rated scene – has no purpose but to bring out their relationship)**

Riley's hands flashed across his keyboard as he finished hacking into the system that White had used, turning it into mulch as he withdrew. It meant that White would take longer to set up in the new place and that gave the Transgenics a day or so of peace. It wasn't much but it was something.

Arms draped around him from behind and he leaned back and put his head on Alec's naked chest. Both were only in shorts and it didn't take long for Alec's aroused scent to do its work on Riley's system and his shorts tented in clear view of his boyfriend. Riley stood up and pushed Alec back onto the bed and knelt over his waist running his fingers down his chest till he ran them across the top of his waistband. Alec kissed him and he kissed back as he pushed his hand under the shorts and tightly massaged his boyfriend's cock and then down around his balls.

Alec arched up into him and Riley licked at his neck and then down his chest to his nipples, biting and licking them as his firmly brought his boyfriend closer to climax. It didn't take long in Alec's aroused state for him to groan and erupt into his shorts and up Riley's arm. Riley pressed his own cock down onto Alec's stomach as he leant down for a kiss and Alec reached down to return the favour.

**(Scene End)**

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Outside Terminal City – Four days later**

"This is getting ridiculous." Riley sat as he raised the visor on his black helmet and looked across at Max who was wearing a similar helmet. They'd just come out of a drugs bust with all the money from the deal, by first glance near to fifty-thousand dollars. Neither the drugs, which they'd dumped, nor the money had been theirs to start with but the Transgenics needed the money right now. They'd stopped their bikes when they'd turned into view of the gated fence around Terminal City because of a large flaming 'X' in the middle of the road and the sight of the news van and crew as well as the small group of Normals throwing things over the fence.

"Idiots." Max sighed. "Go around?"

Around meant four blocks across the twenty block Terminal City to reach another entrance which would probably be about the same. That or right around to the North side to leave their bikes in a lock-up and then crawl through the sewers and into Terminal City. "Straight." Riley said simply and shut his visor so nobody could identify them even if it was dark. He made a gesture of courtesy for her to go first and she wheelied as she pulled away before pushing her weight forward to lower the bike back to the ground. Riley tore after her keeping just to the side so they were both visible when the gang outside the fence and the camera crew turned to look at where the noise was coming for.

True to form the courageous anti-mutants dove for cover as Max splintered her way through the burning 'X'. Riley diverted slightly to avoid the flying debris but hit a ramp just after she did. They were both airbourne at the same time before they hit the ground on the other side and quickly turned down a side alleyway before the Normals could find something to throw after them even if that wouldn't have done anything to them.

They both laughed as they pulled to a stop in what was becoming their car park, at the base of one of the buildings in the Southwest section of Terminal City. It had clearly been under construction when the pulse hit since most of the walls were missing which meant they could easily move around and set things up without trouble. Riley turned to the shadows and a moment later Mole, one of the more brutish Desert fighters, stepped out with a shotgun leaning on his shoulder.

"How'd is go?" He asked.

Max lifted a briefcase from the back of her bike. "Ever notice how drug dealers have no sense of humour when it comes to money?" She asked showing him a bullet hole or two in the armoured case.

"She just doesn't like the fact the bullets came close enough to hit the case while she was holding it." Riley said.

"You did shoot back this time right?" Mole asked wearily.

"I did." Riley turned and began walking, passing the multitude of Transgenics camped out throughout the building. Whereas before the X-series had been setting themselves up away from the Anomalies, as Riley still thought of them, they were all coming together now that the threat had grown.

"You still heading out again?" Max asked.

"I'm going White hunting." Riley told her before continuing when she made a face. "You know why I can't just sit around here, Max. If I do we'll have _them_ popping in and out."

"You need a decent nights rest." Max argued.

"Forty minutes a night is enough, Max." Riley argued.

"Speak for yourself." Mole snorted. He like most of the others needed more rest than the X-series. Max, Riley and Alec hadn't be subtle on the Magic world and quite a few of the other knew all about it by now and the rumours had spread the basics to most of the others.

"Just don't run yourself out." Max told him.

"I know the drill Max." Riley rolled his eyes before turning to Mole. "Is Alec around?"

"Somewhere up on the top floor." Mole told him. "Something about a game of cards."

Riley nodded and flexed his legs. With an uncoiling of muscles he skipped two flights of stairs and boosted up through the sections of floor that had never been completed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three hours later**

Riley had woken up from a short, hour long, nap with Alec's head lying on his chest. He'd had to wake him up to get up but then he'd left his boyfriend rather than risk him to follow White around. White had broken common habits and left his house several hours before he normally did and Riley had only just arrived in time to see him pull out of his house. He'd pressed the limits of trailing somebody to follow his car as he drove across the city and then followed him through the train station.

Now he hid between two carriages twenty metres down the platform from White as the man waited for a train to pull to a stop. A group of five got off the train like they owned Seattle, all had large bags over their arms and the way they moved, the way they dressed and the way they looked at White as they came to a stop told Riley one thing. They were warriors and had been training since they were young. Perhaps not from the cradle like Riley but still a long time.

"Fe'nos tol." The woman in front addressed White. "I'm Thula, team leader."

"Fe'nos tol." White greeted in return

"I've heard a lot about you, Brother White. I'm surprised you couldn't handle one girl on your own." Thula told him.

"Your target's a little more than just a girl." White argued.

"You defend your failure by complimenting your enemy?" She seemed to want to laugh and Riley might have if he wasn't so well trained.

"452 is a threat to everything we've worked for throughout the generations." White got back to the point at hand. "Her death is our highest priority."

"Don't worry, Brother." Thula told him. "We'll clean up your mess for you."

Riley watched as the new team walked past White and he launched himself up onto the roof of the train as they walked past his location just in case they happened to look in his direction. He waited on the train until White was good and gone before he jumped down and pulled out his cell and dialled Max's new cell phone as he started to walk out of the station and back to his bike.

"Hey, Riley." Max greeted.

"Hey, Max." Riley sighed. "You're not going to like this."

"What did you do?" Max sighed.

"Shut it, sis." Riley laughed. "I was following White and his clan called him in a hit squad. They look about the same as him and they're well trained. No shit type mercs and their mission seems to be to kill you."

"So?"

"You know what I want you to do." Riley told her. "You should head up to Canada and get out of the line of fire..."

"I..."

"...But you can't do that and leave your flock." Riley spoke over her interruption with a shake of his head that she couldn't see. "We've both fought against White on our own before and these guys will be tougher than he is. We'll need a big group of Transgenics to take them out so I don't want you going anywhere alone."

"Is that an order?" Max asked jokingly.

"For fucks sake, Max!" Riley hissed. "Just take this one seriously for a change!"

"Sorry, Riley." Max sighed. "I'll be careful."

"I'm going to head to Jam Pony and talk to Alec about this and some of the others. If we've got a hit squad in town it might be best to dump the jobs and just sit tight in Terminal City until they come to try to find you." Riley sighed.

"I'll go to Terminal City." Max promised him.

"I'll talk to you later." Riley hung up and gunned his bike before heading across the city. He couldn't risk following White for the day if he had a hit squad with him. Riley couldn't take them all out with ease like he could his normal lack wits.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Shortly after – Jam Pony**

Riley left his bike amongst the rows of bikes outside and smiled at Cece as she touched him on the shoulder as she past. Riley walked inside just as he past a duo of X5s that he'd only seen once before at Jam Pony's. This place was starting to become overrun with Transgenics but that was because working there entitled them to an All Sectors Pass and the Sector Patrols barely even looked at them as they let them through, much in the same way as they let Riley go. It also allowed the Transgenics to get into cordoned off Sectors to rescue their own with excuses like Hospital runs.

He spotted Alec just coming down from the seating area and Alec noticed him without delay and smiled at him happily. "What's up?" He asked as he hugged Riley.

"White brought in a death squad to kill Max." Riley whispered against his ear. "Just watch yourself alright?"

Riley pulled back and Alec nodded at him to show he was taking the brief warning seriously. "I need to run out on a delivery but I won't be more than twenty minutes. Original Cindy's up there if you want to stick around."

"I think I scared her and Sketchy enough the other night but I'll stick around." Riley smiled and accepted the lingering kiss on the lips. He pulled back and watched as Alec turned around and grabbed his bike from against the wall. He caught a parcel chucked at him from Normal and headed for the ramp out of the building. "Keep leering and I'll shoot you all." Riley said loud enough that everybody who had been staring at them after their kiss scuttled away nervously.

Riley nodded to Normal who had sketched him a mock salute. Riley assessed him for a moment wondering whether the man was blinded enough that if he found out about Alec and Riley he'd react as badly about his two idols being Transgenics then he would if he found out about Max. He was drawn from his musings by a shocked scream from by the door. He turned and his hand went into his jacket for his pistol before pausing. He could see a small group just outside the door. Alec was faced off with Mole, Joshua and two X-series. One was pregnant that he couldn't sense so she was an X5 and after a moment he recognised her features. The other was a younger generation X6 he didn't recognise.

"What the hell is going on?" Normal shouted coming out of his office because he couldn't see out of the door from his little window. Even as Riley made to move he heard the shout of somebody from the sector police and in an instant Mole grabbed Alec around the neck and pulled his back up to his chest and pushed the end of his shotgun into the side of his ribcage. Riley decided that Mole wouldn't be stupid enough to threaten Alec like that without reason though he didn't know that Riley was watching. Joshua grabbed the pregnant girl and she had to pull the revolver he was holding to point at herself since Joshua really wasn't the best in these situations. The X6 ducked behind Joshua just in case and together they backed up into the building.

The kid jumped forwards and shut the metal shutter and together they turned and quickly made their way across the room. Riley backed away and Alec made a small flicker of his eyes to tell him to hold back and stay out of the situation. Riley made a small twist of his arm to relay that same message to Cece who had moved up next to Riley and the two closed behind the group and ended up in the middle of the room. Normal appeared in front of Riley with a revolver in his hand but the group was already out of the back door. Riley could hear a confrontation and a gunshot and the group came running back in.

"Hold it right there, freak show!" Normal yelled, aiming the gun at Mole before moving it to face Joshua and then back again, obviously seeing Mole as a bigger threat. "You're bleeding." He said to Alec.

Riley had already assessed the damage to Alec, the bullet had gone clean through the flesh of his arm but hadn't done any serious damage. He'd have to clean it and bandage it at some point. "Yeah, bullets will do that." Alec commented.

"Ok, you're safe now." Normal told Alec.

Riley sighed and pulled his pistol. The others backed away a bit and Normal started to glance to the side to see what the commotion was. Initially Riley pointed the gun past Normal's head and Normal relaxed until Riley moved. He stepped to the side and his gun was pointing right at Normal's head. "Now, they're safe." Riley said harshly.

Normal aimed the gun at Riley more out of shock than anything else and Alec blurred forwards and disarmed him as soon as the gun had moved away from the group. He held it loosely in his hand as he came to stand beside Riley. "Nobody goes anywhere." Riley ordered.

There was a brief moment of confusion in Normal's eyes as he tried to work out why a Federal Agent and his Golden Boy would help a group of Mutants but then he realised and his eyes narrowed. At that moment one of the messengers caved and bolted for the front door. Cece took a side step and clothes-lined him, taking the young man almost half again her size down without trouble.

"Nobody move!" Cece snapped and glared around her.

"Cece's one too!" Sketchy gasped from where he and Original Cindy were standing off to the side watching in shock and part resignation. "That's so cool!"

"Cece, call base. Tell them we've got trouble." Alec took control of the situation and Riley slowly lowered his pistol. "Joshua take the front. Mole, you got the back?"

"Got it." Mole nodded and turned to the back windows.

Riley turned to the last two. "597." Riley greeted the pregnant one.

"862." She nodded in return.

"Riley." Riley told her with a grim smile.

"Gem." She told him.

"You due?" Riley asked carefully.

"Two weeks ago." She winced. Riley jerked her head at her and gestured her off to the side. He turned and gestured for Original Cindy to look after her. The girl nodded and moved to Gem's side.

"And you?" Alec asked the kid.

"Dalton." The X6 announced.

"Alright, Dalton, why don't you head upstairs and keep an eye on the street for me?" Alec asked. The kid nodded and ran for the stairs making the messengers leap out of his way as they realised that both the pregnant woman and boy were Transgenics too.

Alec and Riley glanced at a pale faced Normal. "My Golden Boy's a mutant."

"We prefer 'Genetically Empowered.'" Alec told him.

"Take me Jesus." Normal gasped.

"Careful what you wish for." Mole told him from the back window.

"Alright everyone." Riley turned in a half circle, his pistol in clear view. "You might have realised we're all Transgenics and if you've paid attention then you'll know we're dangerous. Nobody wanted this situation but we're here."

"You could leave." One messenger told him.

"Not if we want to survive." Riley told him. "And trust me, survival is the first thing your government forced into us so this is how it's going to go. You're all going to do what we tell you and nobody will get hurt."

"So everybody just get up into the seating area and sit yourselves down and don't cause any problems." Alec announced, still holding his Normal's gun in his hand.

"This is ridiculous." A guy spat with a disgusted look at Riley and Alec.

Riley blurred forwards just as Alec had done and in a moment he was behind the man and hand his arm around his neck and his pistol aimed carelessly towards the closest person. "Like Alec said, get your arse sat down." Riley hissed and shoved the guy away from him and aimed the gun directly between his eyes to make his point. "Everyone! Now!"

This time they scrambled to obey his order and that was exactly the effect he was going for. He couldn't have them all standing up if the first cops on the scene decided to charge the building.

It wasn't long before Riley could sense a distinct formation surrounding them. He could sense Mole, Joshua and Dalton as well as a very faint sensation from where Gem was and amongst them were the normals they had captive. Around the building were several dozen policemen scattered in a loose circle but mainly out of the front of the building and behind and not between them and the houses to the side though Riley could sense that several policemen had those exits covered. Around that group of people where hundreds of onlookers kept back in a firm line that was probably home to several dozen more policemen who were charged with holding them back.

"What can you sense, Riley?" Alec asked as he and Mole returned from looking out of the back window. Riley had been standing stock still in the middle of main thoroughfare of the building being eyed for his strange behaviour by Normal and some of the others. He was supposed to be guarding them yet he had had his eyes shut yet glared down at any of them when they made to move.

"There's no gaps in their perimeter." Riley told them. "And they've attracted hundreds of onlookers. Even if we," he paused to gesture at himself and Alec, "could sneak through Mole and Joshua wouldn't stand a chance."

"You in the building!" A voice called through the window through a megaphone. "This is the Seattle Police Department. The building is completely surrounded. Throw your weapons out and come out with your hands visible, and you will be treated fairly under the law."

"That sounds believable." Riley snorted.

"Throw your weapons out and come out with your hands on your heads!" The man shouted again.

Riley, Alec and Mole all jerked their heads around as one of the filtered sounds from outside the building changed tone. One of the hoverdrones flittering about the building was almost screaming out and it was coming closer by the second. Joshua, who had been guarding the front side of the building ducked back seconds before a form crashed through the window riding the hoverdrone like a surf board. Riley, Alec and Mole had their guns aimed in an instant but Riley couldn't sense the person and lowered his gun slightly an instant before they all recognised the figure as Max.

"Hey!" Max grinned as she hopped off the drone which had long since burned itself out. "Who ordered a pizza?"

"You blundering idiot!" Riley snapped. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Helping." She said simply.

"Oh brilliant. White and a hit squad are tracking _you_ down and you lock yourself in here with all of us and the hostages and thus bring them here where we're stuck defending people." Riley ranted. "Brilliant bit of planning there, Max. Just brilliant!"

Alec caught his arm and he trailed off with a glare. "Leave off, Riley."

Riley sighed and shot Max a guilty look which she replied with one of her own. Riley jerked his head at the hostages. "You better stay down with them. I'll go keep Dalton company for a bit and see what I can see with my eyes and not my sense."

She nodded and Riley jogged his way up the stairs and settled silently beside Dalton who looked at him nervously. "You're 862 right?" Dalton asked.

"If I am?" Riley asked with some of his old coldness. Now that he went by Riley and had forgiven the people that had pained him the most he resented that designation more than he thought possible.

"You're like a god, man!" Dalton grinned. "My class could see the training ground outside our window and we'd always watch your group training. You're awesome!"

"Thanks." Riley glanced out of the window for a few seconds.

"I saw you kill those guards when we were younger, too." Dalton told him. "You took them apart!"

"I've killed more than my share, Dalton." Riley told him bluntly. "But that life is over and this is our new life and we have to do what we do best to make sure we stay like this. Free of those bastards in Manticore."

"Sure, boss." Dalton nodded and glanced out of the window with Riley. A sound came from the doorway but Riley couldn't sense them so didn't tense even when Cece bent down at Dalton's side.

"My watch." She told the kid who nodded and with a last respectful glance at Riley darted off.

"Sounds like you've got an admirer." Cece pointed out.

"You were one of the ones that pulled me off of the guards when I killed them Cece." Riley told her, surprising her that he remembered it. "You really think he should admire me for the mess I left of them."

"For what they said..." Cece trailed off knowing better than to try to argue with Riley. "You were in my team in Manticore, Riley, but you were always a solo deal and you were hell scary but we knew we could count on you in the scenarios to help us and that's what counts."

Riley glanced at her, nodded and then turned back to the window in time to see two people flash a badge at the barricade and get let through. His vision could have picked out the flecks of lunch on Otto's tie if he'd wanted to. He hissed and shook his head. "This just got more interesting." Cece followed his gaze and frowned. "It's Ames White."

"The one that took over your missions?" Cece asked. Riley grunted and simply watched as White and Otto had a small jurisdictional argument with a coloured man who looked in charge before they backed off and went to the barricade. He waited for a while longer in case White did anything of interest but when he saw the man in charge pull out a phone and then heard the phone ring downstairs he touched Cece on the arm and drew back from the window.

"I think I need to have a chat to that guy." Riley whispered before turning. "Just keep an eye on what White does."

"Sure." Cece agreed easily and Riley made his way down the stairs just in time to hear Max hang up the phone.

"You're dreaming if you think they're just going to let us drive off into the sunset." Mole told Max as Riley joined them. "Get it through your head, the only way they want this to end is with us in body bags."

"Max." Riley said simply getting her attention. "White is out there but the guy you just spoke to kicked him off for the time being. We need to get something done before White goes over his head."

"Then we don't have a choice." Max nodded.

"I'm going to try to call that guy out there first though." Riley told her and pulled his cell phone.

"How?" Max asked.

"Through the switch board." Riley told her and dialled the number for the Sector Police's head quarters. She rolled her eyes at him as he made his way back upstairs and stood by the side of the window. Where Riley could see out and down at the man he was trying to reach but also out of view of any snipers. Cece stayed crouched near him looking out through a gap in the window.

"Seattle P.D. switchboard." A woman's voice answered his call within ten rings.

"This is Federal Agent Riley Faedren." Riley told her getting a grin from Cece at his deception. "I need you to patch me through to the officer in charge of the Jam Pony hostage situation."

There was a pause but there was nothing wrong with his request and since this city was rather lax in this sort of thing he got an agreement and soon the phone was ringing again. He caught sight of the officer in charge and saw him digging his phone out of his pocket. There was a pause as the switchboard told him who was calling and a moment later the call connected and Riley could heard the sounds of the outside world replicated next to his ear.

"This is Detective Ramon Clemente." The man below him said and Riley could see his lips move as the voice sounded in his ear.

"Good afternoon, Detective." Riley said simply. "I know you have a moment and I wanted to have a chat with you about this situation you find yourself in."

"I am kind of busy right now." The man said.

"Actually since you've just sent off the request that 452 made I'm sure you have a moment to spare and trust me when I say that the information we exchange could very well determine the difference between a row of body bags and everybody's freedom." Riley told him.

"Actually, what we're going for is these Transgenics in our custody." Clemente told him.

"You see that's where information will serve you, Clemente." Riley argued softly. "You'll prosper to know that they won't allow for capture. There is only one plan for them and that is escape regardless of anything else. You are lucky in that the ones you face now are also highly concerned with the safety of the hostages. Why do you think they haven't made a move yet?"

"You sound like an expert on the subject." Clemente hazarded a guess.

"More so than Ames White." Riley told him. "Yes, Detective, I know he's there and I assure you that your aims are not the same as his. My aims however coincide with yours. The survival of the hostages."

"And the Transgenics?" Clemente asked.

"I'll give you points for being sharp, Detective, and I'll be honest with you." Riley told him. "I want them all out safely."

"And you want to help me do that?" Clemente asked.

"As much as I am able." Riley told him. "Tell me, what are your estimates of their numbers?"

"We know of two that were seen entering, ones that didn't look human. We also know of one more who calls herself 452 but you seem to already know that one." Clemente told him. "We're going to assume a few more to be on the safe side."

"Probably prudent." Riley told him. "And how dangerous do you think they are?"

"We've been told that they are dangerous." Clemente told him.

"I want you to realise just how dangerous they are Clemente." Riley told him sharply. "I want you to realise what will happen to the people on your side if you do something stupid and I want you to realise that the only way you can save this day is to give them what they want purely because if you don't a lot of people will die."

"Who _are_ you exactly because for all I know you're one of them that got hold of the switchboards number." Clemente clearly wasn't a fool but neither was Riley and he'd been prepared to tell the truth the whole time. Cece looked up at him and Riley knew she could hear the conversation and even if she couldn't she could have lip read.

"Alright, Detective." Riley laughed. "I said you were smart so I'm going to be honest with you because, like I said, I want you to realise how dangerous Transgenics are."

"So who are you and what is your interest here?" Clemente asked.

"My name is Riley but Manticore designated me in short as X5-862. That makes me one of the human-looking Transgenics." Riley paused as he heard and saw Clemente swear and almost move to hang up. "Don't hang up this phone, detective, because right now you're doing what I want. If you stop doing what I want I'll prove just how dangerous I am. You might have set your position up out of range of normal people but not of us and right now I have a height advantage and a gun accuracy far above even the elite military units."

Clemente looked straight up at the window Riley was hiding beside but Riley knew he couldn't see through them. "You're in there with them?"

"There are more in here than anybody realised." Riley told him. "But getting back to the point I want you to understand the danger we're all in. For starters we're faster and stronger than you've been told. You think we're just products of a genetic program but in truth we've been training our entire lives for a battle like this one. And a lot of us have more abilities than can be seen at first glance. For instance I can tell you how many people are within a two miles radius and their positions meaning if it comes to a battle there is little chance of you being able to find us."

"What are you calling for then?" Clemente asked. "You know I can't trust anything you tell me?"

"Alright, Detective." Riley said. "One last thing before I leave you to assess what I've told you. I'm in possession of a Federal ID and I didn't fake it. Agent White, who you've probably already got an idea about, gave it to me so that I could do his dirty work. Once I wised up that his only ambition was the slaughter of all Transgenics I betrayed him to protect my family and friends, the Transgenics that were in essence enslaved by this Government and trained to fight this countries wars. And when it went wrong they tried to kill us and we fled, tried to hide here and we did for several months."

"What does this have to do with this situation?" Clemente asked.

"White was the one that exposed the Transgenics." Riley told him. "He wanted to throw Seattle into chaos and it seems to have worked. Since then he'd been doing everything he can to up the violence. He sent that worker Transgenic to his death and I have that on evidence and more recently he killed a blind woman in the sewers to frame the Transgenics."

"That was an X-series." Clemente told him.

"Nobody saw what happened down there." Riley told him. "Only White and the Transgenic, which was me."

He saw Clemente freeze out in the road and watched him in morbid amusement even as Cece started laughing. "You could have not told me that but you did."

"I don't care what you think of me, Detective, but if you ignore everything else I've told you, remember that." Riley pointed out. "Either I'm telling you the truth and Agent White murdered a blind woman just so you'd all hate us, or I'm lying and I'm a dangerous person who is willing to kill and blind woman which means you have to be cautious in this situation."

"Clever, Riley Faedren." Clemente chuckled. "Be careful in case White wants the death count or be careful because you might kill all the hostages and I know you're capable of it. Either way I have to be more careful now."

"Good good, maybe there's hope for you people after all." Riley hung up the phone and sidled up to the opening in the window seeing Clemente look up at the window again and see him. Riley vanished before more than a second.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

"Riley?" Max turned to look at him before she made to push up the grating covering the front door. The truck had arrived but none of them liked the situation. Luckily Logan was outside and had called them about the snipers on the roof even though Riley had told Max about them. They'd been pulled back but Riley wasn't convinced but with so many people out there it was a little confusing for him to pick out anything of importance.

"There are a few people in the building across the street, top floor." Riley told her. "But I can't tell who they are."

"What are you supposed to be?" One of the messengers asked from beside him. "A psychic?"

"Something like that." Max interrupted with a glare. "What do you think?" She asked Riley instead.

"I don't like it but I find myself believing this Detective isn't an idiot. Even though let's let as many of them go as we can afford." Riley said. "The less of them around when it comes to a fire fight the fewer we need to protect."

"That's true." Max nodded before ducking under the grating to yell. "Alright, first groups coming out!"

Riley gestured to those they'd selected to lead the way out, mainly anyone that looked like they hated their guts. They'd be less likely to cause problems later if it came to a fight. The group walked out of the door and quickly split, heading for the barricades and safety. Riley sighed in relief when nothing bad happened. "They're not going to shoot at us. We've got a pregnant girl and a kid and they don't know which of us are which."

"Well a couple of us they got a good idea about." Mole grumbled and grabbed Normal, pulling his back against his chest as a shield. Riley didn't like the idea and he winced.

"Alright." Max nodded and turned to the door but just as Riley was about to stop her, Original Cindy grabbed her arm and pulled it around her neck and stood in front of Max.

"They saw you boo." Original Cindy told her. "Flew right over their heads. I got you."

Max sighed but grabbed her, making it look more realistic. "Do they know you, Riley?" Cece asked him even as Joshua took hold of Sketchy.

"Probably." Riley nodded. Alec offered himself but he didn't look the part and Riley ended up walking with Dalton under his arm and Gem beside him. Cece was held firmly by Max so she was half in front of Max, beside Original Cindy, and half covering Gem to be on the safe side. Riley didn't like any of this but they had little choice. Mole and Normal led the way out and Max manoeuvred Cece and Original Cindy after them, keeping herself covered. Riley followed out and together they formed a wedge with Mole, Joshua, Alec, Max and himself on the inside and Dalton, Gem, Cece, Original Cindy, Normal, Sketchy and a few other messengers around them.

Riley got the warning as he glanced to the side and saw a vindictive smirk on White's face. He turned to look for Clemente in the crowd and saw him with a megaphone in his right hand and an anxious look on his face. Riley found Logan pushing through the crowd and he halted his forward shuffling and hissed out a stop. The transgenics heard his almost silent order and pulled them all to a stop. Riley caught the flash of a barrel from where he'd sensed three people in the building and he twisted even as he shouted. "Back!"

Alec grabbed Gem and Cece and pulled them backwards even as Riley pulled Dalton passed him. Max dove backwards as a shot rang out and the group fell backwards. The transgenics were on their feet again even as Riley span on the spot and to the side, letting Alec shove the less mobile normals back towards Jam Pony as bullets struck the wall, ground and the truck. The entire thing took only a second their hostages, including Sketchy, Normal and Original Cindy, found themselves thrown inside within the span of a moment, too quickly for them to realise something had happened.

Riley brought his pistol to bare and fired a series of shots even as Logan crashed down near the truck and ducked behind it with his own pistol taking shots at the window. Riley knew he'd shot one of the men up there but most of his shots were merely to distract them long enough not to take any injuries themselves. Riley jerked out of the way and a bullet smacked into the wall behind him. He dodged continuously making it impossible to hit him as he backed towards the door but just as he stopped in the doorway a bullet clipped him on the shoulder from the other direction. Riley span and fired a single shot hitting the policeman in the arm sending him flying back. His last shot was aimed with perfection just as he ducked inside the building and struck the megaphone straight out of Clemente's hand and sending all of the group into hiding.

Dalton slammed the grating down past his face as soon as he was inside and Riley turned and slammed his fist into the wall making a sizeable dent in the hardboard covering to the brick. "Fuckers!"

"Couldn't agree more." Mole grunted.

"Is everyone ok?" Max asked.

"Thanks to Riley's warning, yeah." Cece nodded. They all looked rather shaken, especially Sketchy, Original Cindy and Normal.

"Did they go back on their word?" Gem asked as Alec helped her down into a chair.

"No." Riley shook his head. "Apart from the odd overzealous guy they weren't even involved. Clemente looked surprised. I think those were White's men."

"White definitely gave an order into his phone just before it happened." Logan told them.

"Thanks for the help by the way." Riley told the man.

"They screwed this up just to escalate the situation." Max spat.

"What difference does it make who did what?" Mole argued. "They all want us dead."

"You need to calm down." Logan told him.

"I'm not going to wait around for them to try again." Mole stated and grabbed the back of Sketchy's neck and yanked him a step towards the back door.

"What are you going?" Max demanded over Sketchy's frightened yelp.

"Until we get safe passage we kill one hostage, ever hour." Mole informed them. "Starting now."

"Let him go, now!" Logan ordered.

"I don't take orders from your kind." Mole spat back at him.

"No, but you take orders from me." Max argued. "Now, let him go."

"No!" Mole shook his head. "We gotta show them we mean business or we're all dead."

"That's what White wants." Logan argued. "For you to prove just what a monster you are."

"Shut up, you're not one of us." Mole shouted at him.

"No, I'm not." Logan relented. "But I'm standing here with you aren't I?"

"This is a moot point." Riley announced from directly behind Mole, his pistol edge against the side of Mole's neck who hadn't even noticed Riley had gotten behind him. "Let him go. Nobody dies because of us and that's final."

Mole growled low in his throat. "You think you're so tough X5." Mole snarled.

"I've been up again three of you guys in training and come out the victor, wanna try?" Riley snarled. Mole knew better than that, Riley was rather infamous after all. He relaxed his hand and let Sketchy scuttle away. Riley stepped away and back into Mole's view. He made a show of taking out his empty magazine and swapping it for a fully loaded one. Mole snarled at him but Riley just shrugged.

Riley took a turn up to the windows upstairs and noticed how dark it was getting outside and that worried him a little bit. It didn't matter to them but it meant that somebody like White might try something. When he came down that wasn't what he was most concerned about though. "Max?" Riley asked, grabbing her and a worried looking Alec. "White just took over from Clemente."

"That can't be good." Alec grumbled.

"It's me he wants." Max sighed.

Riley grabbed her arm before she could finish. "Don't even think about it." Riley snarled. "You're not walking out there on your own and that's the end of it, get it?"

"Alright but..."

"No buts." Riley snapped. Max sighed but didn't look convinced but he let her walk away to talk to Logan and the others. Riley leaned against the office window and Alec leaned back against his chest. Riley sighed and rested his head against the back of his neck. "This is so screwed up."

"You know when you wish you never went into work?" Alec laughed at the human saying that had never really had much meaning to them. Riley and Alec were watching the other group argue over Max leaving when Riley frowned and listened closer to his senses. The police around them always kept back behind an invisible line but as a group breached that line Riley caught it.

"They're coming!" He heard Max gasp and look up towards the ceiling. "Someone carry Gem, let's go."

"I don't hear anything." Mole frowned.

"She's right, six hostiles approaching from the south. ETA, thirty seconds." Riley announced and moved forward.

"Everyone upstairs!" Max ordered. "Alec, get Gem."

**CECE CECE CECE CECE CECE**

The room moved into motion as Riley made sure all of the normals ran up the stairs. He was the last up the stairs and just as he went he felt the presences move up the outside of the building. "They're climbing the South wall." Riley hissed loud enough so they could all here just as entered into a disused room on the second to top floor of the four story building. He and Dalton locked the door behind them and Riley sent Dalton to hide with the normals and look after Gem. That way if somebody slipped passed the five Transgenics and Logan, Dalton could fend them off until one of them could get to them.

Riley took up a post in the middle of the room as the other four Transgenics and Logan took up places behind the columns in the room. Riley knew they, like him, wouldn't stay on the ground though, that was too obvious. Riley's senses warned him long before four people began lowering themselves through the broken ceiling of the room and into the more stable lower floor. Riley sprung up into the air, having to leave his pistol on a shelf against the wall so he could silently hold himself up against the ceiling with the help of a piper and a column. He sensed that Joshua and Mole had made it to the ceiling as well and he assumed that Max and Alec would do the same.

He watched in silence as two woman made it passed underneath him and eyed a man on the right but he couldn't see the other man that should be on his left but he heard the door being opened and assumed that they'd let the last man inside. He could sense two people join the four already in the room. Riley couldn't afford to move first because all six soldiers were armed with assault rifles and even if he could get the first hit with his pistol he'd have the other five turning on him in seconds and even though that would allow the other four and Logan to surprised them it would mean hundreds of bullets coming for Riley and even he wasn't that good.

Just as the group got in line with where the others were hiding the four Transgenics made their move dropping down from the ceiling. Max and Alec fell on the two women while Joshua and Mole took on the three men by the door. Logan was the last to move out of them and his pistol fired three times and Riley noted with satisfaction as the man he fired at went down.

Riley dropped silently from the ceiling just as Max's target kicked her in the stomach. Riley flipped himself forward bring his whole body around into a tornado kick that the woman couldn't have dodged even if she'd had more than an instant's warning. Riley's boot came down on the join of her neck and body and the blow would have killed and normal human being. She went down quickly but quickly rolled trying to get Riley and Max on only one side of her and failed as Riley stepped back the way he had come. Max span out of view using a pillar to hurl herself around and slam into the woman's back as Riley grabbed his gun. He got off a single shot at the woman but she managed to move out of the way and kicked out, knocking the gun from his hand.

Riley and Max feinted with her for a while wearing her down. She was wearing heavy armour and was nowhere near as quick as either one of them. They'd definitely take a beating on their own before taking her out but with the two of them they could tire her quickly. Unfortunately Max seemed unwilling to kill her and that slowed Riley up.

Riley slammed his boot into her chest instead of doing a normal feint when she kicked at him and as she recovered he risked a glance around. Logan's target, who had survived the bullets because of his vest, had disappeared and Logan was helping Alec take out the other woman. One of the other men was down on the ground and Mole was battling the last of the hit squad while Joshua was rather viciously throwing White around. There was nothing they could do to stop that until they took out this woman and she was clearly far superior to the others.

Max took a few hits, something quite serious and others that were mere irritations. Riley took a cut to the underside of his chin without flinching but the woman's armour protected her from a lot. It was almost three minutes after the start of the fight when Riley and Max feinted in opposite directions. The woman took an automatic step back but came up short in surprise when her back hit a pillar. Riley saw it and in an instant he blurred, ducked past her and onto the wrong side as she tried to counter him and missed. Riley struck out into her exposed left side with his fist and heard the armour under her arm twist and grind under his hand as he bent the metal into her rib cage.

The air flooded out of her lungs and Max darted in before she could recover and smacked her head straight into the wall. Her eyes glossed over and Riley was really tempted to crush her throat and kill her and the only reason he didn't was because they didn't really want to kill them and give Transgenics a bad name.

Riley quickly looked over the room, checking all of the messengers and checking on a rather bruised Alec who kissed him to show he really was okay. Riley moved off letting Alec and Logan help handcuff the hit squad to the wall and he made his way to where Gem and Dalton were and watched as Mole hauled Logan's unconscious target away. "Are you okay?" Riley asked looking at Gem.

"I'm good." Gem gasped out tiredly. Riley reached out a hand and gently touched the baby stirring in his arms. "Can you sense him?"

Riley looked up at her with a small smile. "Just like any other. He's not immune like you."

"And he doesn't have a barcode." Gem sighed.

"Then he's free." Max announced as she stopped behind Riley and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We need to get out of here before the cops come in. Can you walk?"

"I'm good." Gem repeated and stood up slowly with Dalton's help.

"You stay with her, Dalton." Riley told him. "I've got an idea about getting out."

Soon the group was walking out of the front door to Jam Pony. They'd dressed Logan, Sketchy, Original Cindy and Cece up in the hit squads' armour and handcuffed themselves loosely so they could slip them easily enough later. Logan led the way out with Joshua and Mole following him seemingly meekly. Alec was led after them with Dalton and Gem, holding her baby, behind him with Original Cindy in her armour beside them, guarding the middle of the group. Riley, and Max as the most dangerous and easily recognised from Max's surfing and Riley's gun fight were being led more 'harshly'. Cece had Max in a tight hold and a very nervous Sketchy was trying to hold Riley loose enough not to insult him but tight enough not to screw this all up.

Logan commandeered an armoured truck and an ambulance and sent the original drivers scurrying away. Logan and Cece 'forced' Mole, Joshua and Max into the bake of the armoured truck while Riley let Sketchy throw him into the ambulance and with Original Cindy's help Dalton, Gem and her baby joined him. As soon as the door was locked Riley slipped his cuffs and then helped Gem out of hers since she was holding the baby. Original Cindy laughed at the ease he loosed the cuffs but made sure the back door was shut.

Riley heard Logan giving Clemente orders before Sketchy got in the front of the ambulance. "Now what?" Sketchy asked with an inane grin.

"Calm down." Riley told him as he came up behind him, keeping as much out of view of the windows as possible. "Just start the engine and follow the armoured car out. Stay about five feet from it."

"Can I turn on the sirens?" Sketchy asked.

"Just drive!" Original Cindy shouted. Riley chuckled and only relaxed when they were out of the crowds though he knew it would take long before Clemente realised their deception and came after them.

"Here they come!" Dalton said from where he was looking out of the rear windows. Riley glanced over his shoulder at the flashing lights behind them.

"What now?" Sketchy asked him.

"Just follow." Riley told him and gripped his shoulder to calm him down. Sketchy followed the armoured truck towards Terminal City. It slammed through the locked fence and turned right and Sketchy followed it further through the Transgenics claimed part of Seattle and into the ground floor of the main building they'd claimed as their central command post. Riley got Sketchy to park to the side of the armoured truck. He made his way to the back door just as the police cars pulled in and lined up six across behind them and the police got out of the cars and half crouched behind the open doors.

"Throw out your weapons and come out." Clemente ordered from where he stood beside a brown car. Riley looked at the others and nodded.

"Just do everything they tell you." Riley told the four others and moved to the side as he popped open the back door and tossed out the assault rifles that Original Cindy and Sketchy had brought with them just as he knew Max was doing.

Riley moved out of the way of the door to let firstly Original Cindy and the Dalton and Gem out of the door while Sketchy climbed out of the driver's door. Riley followed them out. "Get on the ground!" Clemente ordered just as Riley reached Max's side. He nodded to his own group and they all fell down onto their knees slowly. All but Riley and Max who by unspoken agreement took a step forwards side by side with their hands exposed and held out to either side so it was clear they were unarmed.

"Get down on your knees, now! Do it!" Clemente ordered them as the two of them walked out to stand just about halfway between their friends and the police. Riley had an advantage over Max in that she was going on faith that all of the others upstairs would come to rescue them. Riley, however, knew that they were currently surrounded by hundreds of approaching Transgenics.

"452?" Clemente asked. "_Agent_ Faedren."

"You can call me Max." Max told him even as Riley nodded.

"I think you should both get down on the ground." Clemente told them.

"You've forgotten what I told you, Detective." Riley said softly but they could all hear in the silence of the building. "We're too well trained to have come in here without a plan and you've already lost this battle."

Clemente frowned but Max spoke up. "I think you should probably go." She told him, pushed on by Riley's hint that they had company. "We don't want anybody to get hurt here."

"I'm not going to tell you again." Clemente ordered.

"I'm not going to tell _you_ again." Max stressed and jerked her head to the right slightly. It was the only signal needed and all around them they heard the sounds of guns being cocked and from out of the shadows came hundreds of Transgenics. Some simply walked into place while others appeared form places around the scene as if they'd been there the whole time and others dropped down from the gaps in certain places around the ceiling until they were surrounded on all side but behind the police cars. Their friends stood up and the circle closed to include them. Cece, Alec, Logan and Mole picked up the assault rifles again.

"See, Detective." Riley took a step forwards and caught the gaze of an X6 who tossed him a pistol he'd thought to give him. Riley caught it and aimed it at Clemente's stomach, low enough that it was clear he wasn't planning to fire it unless he needed to. "We're not just a bunch of criminals with a vendetta against you all. What we are is a large group of highly trained soldiers cast out from our lives and then turned on by people we haven't done anything to. We can all kill but we don't need to so we don't. Force us to fight and you'll be surprised how quickly people die against us."

"All right!" Clemente half turned. "Everybody back behind the fence. Let's go!" He shouted to the police who got back in their cars and soon they began reversing out. "You kept today from turning into a bloodbath and I can respect that."

"You held up your end, too." Max told him.

"But you haven't won anything. This is gonna get real ugly, and this is way over my head now." Clemente warned them. "These people's lives depend on the decisions that you make right now. I pray you make the right ones."

"We're not accustomed to failing." Riley told him sharply. "Pray you remember _that_ when you brief the people that take charge. We don't want a war and we never have but if you force it at us you will find us a harder challenge than you expected."

They watched as Clemente got back in his car and reverse out of the building. Riley stood in silence monitoring his senses until there wasn't a single person outside of this building. "Do you have to be so confrontational?" Max asked him. Riley just looked at her but was saved from answering when Mole spoke up.

"Escape and Evade!" Mole announced. "We divide into teams and pick an Azimuth and go to ground."

There was wide muttering at that and Riley glanced at Max. "No, we stay." She said loudly.

"In a matter of hours that perimeter will be locked down!" Mole argued. "Tanks, National Guard and every cop within a hundred miles."

"We'd be digging our own graves, Max." One of the Techies, Dix, spoke up from the crowd gathered around them. This wasn't Riley's thing and he took a side step until he was with Alec who encircled him with his arms and pulled Riley's back to his chest and rested his chin on his shoulder. Riley relaxed back into him uncaring about the display of affection in front of so many people.

"Mole's right." Another spoke up. "If we move now they'll never be able to catch us all."

"Where are we gonna go? I can't stop anyone from leaving, but I'm through running and hiding and being afraid. I'm not gonna live my life like that anymore. Aren't you tired of living in darkness? Don't you want to feel the sun on your face? To have a place of your own where you can walk down the street without being afraid?" Max spoke as she turned in a slow circle, addressing everybody there. Riley nodded to her as she paused and sought him out, giving her his unspoken support. "They made us, and they trained us to be soldiers, to defend this country. It's time for them to face us and take responsibility, instead of trying to sweep us away like garbage. We were made in America and we're not going anywhere. So they call us freaks? Who cares? Today I'm proud to be a freak. And today we're gonna make a stand, right here. Who's with me?"

Riley found himself impressed by the speech even though it wouldn't have worked on him it seemed to speak to the others, especially the ones that if they ran wouldn't be able to hide in plain sight. Max raised a fist into the air to cast her vote to stay together and fight and after a moment Joshua and Logan did the same. Around them it spread out, the more obvious Transgenics like the Arctics, Techies wanted to stay together and fight because they couldn't hide long term while the X-series respected Max enough to trust in what she said. There was a pause as just over half raised their hands and Riley noticed that a lot of them were watching Riley who hadn't yet cast his vote.

"You hold more sway then you think." Alec whispered in his ear as Max cast him a look.

"You seem to all view me as the greatest weapon and maybe I am. I can take any of you on easily enough and not break a sweat. I think I probably have beaten quite a few of you but I'll tell you something." Riley paused for effect. "I love Alec and that's why I stand here now with him, to protect him and defend him. We all have those we care about and that's what makes us human, what makes us alive. If we cast that away and hide away thinking only of our own safety we make ourselves nothing more than the soldiers we were trained to be. We have to stick together and show those people out there that we're not the monsters they imagine us to be and we have to do that by proving to them that defending each other is our priority."

Riley paused for another moment before he raised his fist into the air to join the others. Alec released him slightly to raise his own fist and like a single entity the rest cast their votes to stay and fight. Mole cast him an impressed look before turning to Max and raising his fist. "What the hell." He grunted in amusement.

Riley and Alec dropped their hands together and Riley caught Alec's hands and held them to his chest. Alec kissed him on the neck just as people mingled together talking excitedly and Riley and Alec moved away after a few minutes and headed up to the top of the building to stand on the roof and look down over the darkened city. The lack of power in Terminal City made it stand out like a dead area and Riley could see the blinking of police lights all around the outskirts. Riley let his eyes shut as he took up the role of sentry for the entire of Terminal City until the Transgenics got back to business and set up a perimeter more suitable for a siege.

"Don't make him jump." Alec whispered softly almost twenty minutes later. Riley had been perfectly aware of their position. Alec was leaning against a rather decrepit vent with Riley leaning back into his chest. Alec arms were wrapped around him, offering him protective and stability so his entire mind could concentrate on his extra sense since he was listening for over three miles in every direction.

"Riley?" Max asked. Clearly Alec was also his sentry and when he'd seen Max approaching had warned her not to make him jump since Riley couldn't sense her and wasn't paying attention to his ears enough to hear her footsteps.

Riley took a moment to refocus himself and turned his head towards her and opened his eyes. "I was listening to my extra sense." Riley told her. "It takes more concentration over this sort of range and I tend to lose track of my other senses."

"The sentries are just going out." Max told him.

"I know." Riley nodded. "I thought it would take time and I didn't want any overzealous cop to get in while they were distracted."

"What's it look like out there?" She asked coming up to his side. Alec let go of him and Riley drew his arm around her waist and held her against his side. He wasn't surprised when Alec copied the movement on her other side. She relaxed slightly.

"There's about five hundred cops out there right now. It'll be a few hours before the National Guard get here from the North. Right now we can sneak out but that'll change in time." Riley told her. Riley blinked as a line of bright lights lit up along the south edge of Terminal City. Another few seconds had a line creeping along the west side. Flood lights. Clemente hadn't wasted any time. "I need to get through them before it becomes too difficult."

"What?"

"Huh?" The two frowned at him in surprise.

"It won't be long before Zack finds out about this." Riley told them. "I want to go and meet them."

"You think they'll come here?" Max asked, almost hopefully. Even with all of the Transgenics around her and even with the other X5s greater training Riley knew that Max would be happier with their old group around them.

"They'll come because their brothers and sisters need them." Riley told her.

"When do you need to leave?" Max asked.

"Right now." Alec declared, obviously well aware that the longer they waited the harder it would be to get clear. "I'm going too."

"You don't have to, Alec." Riley told him.

"Well I am." Alec laughed.

"Just be careful." Max said quietly. "And get back soon. We might have kicked White to the curb but he'll be back soon enough."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	17. Reunion

Twisted Experimentation

A/N; Please read the message in bold at the top of my profile regarding updates. Please enjoy.

A/N; This chapter has an addition Slash scene at the end which has been edited out. For those that wish to read it then please follow my homepage link on my profile to my AFF profile.

Chapter 17; Reunion

Riley had been driving for two days without rest apart from one ten minute break to refuel his bike and to grab a bite to eat before continuing East. He was on his way to a small town on the edge of a military base in the mid-north of the United States. That was where Zack had told him to meet them all when he'd called ahead as soon as he'd gotten clear of Seattle.

He arrived in the small town in the late evening and the bars were loud and full of what Riley assessed to be military men. Army. He had memorised the layout of the town and the route to the warehouse where they were meeting with a single glance at the map so he didn't look like he was searching as he drove through the town and up to a small boarded up warehouse with a sign on the front saying that it was an old mechanics workshop. He stopped his bike just inside the lot and the rolling doorway on the main warehouse opened up just enough for Riley to drive under and he did so knowing that his brothers and sisters were inside. He couldn't sense anyone and they'd have left him a message or contacted him if they'd had to move.

The others all stepped out of their hiding places as Riley shut off his engine and pulled off his helmet. Within moments he was being pulled off of his bike by Zack and spun around. "What the hell is happening down there, Riley?"

"Uh...?" Riley started.

"Oh, leave him alone you bully." Jondy told him and whacked him on the arm.

"Besides it wasn't my fault." Riley defended. "Max talked them into staying together and standing up to the Normals."

"Should have known." Zack rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air and turned away.

Riley slid past him to stand in front of him, mere inches away from him. "And you would have run away would you?"

Zack made to deny it but Riley knew he'd won and he grinned before quickly nudging Zack in the chest with his fist. "You're a sucker when you want to be, you know?"

The others chuckled and Riley went around for a few minutes hugging them all before being led into a side room where their stuff was. There was full combat gear that looked almost brand knew and weaponry that looked about right for Transgenics. P-90s machine guns and MP-5 machine pistols for starters which were both top of line Special Forces stuff.

"Planning on a war?" Riley asked as he looked at the maps on the wall. It was of this town and the army base to the north west which was centred around a long runway. There were targets throughout it. Riley turned to Zack with a raised eyebrow.

"They're shipping their best Special Forces to Seattle. A small team is due to leave from here tomorrow morning with a load of supplies, weapons, radios and tons of other stuff." Sly told him. "We've been scoping the place out today and we think we can get in, take the place of the SFs and load up with their gear into the Galaxy and then hijack it. Make the pilots take us right over Terminal City." She pointed to another map of Seattle zoomed in on Terminal City with an approach vector and landing zones. "We'll dump the cargo on the first pass on parachutes and then spin around low and just jump out of the back."

"You guys really want to get involved?" Riley asked looking them all in the eyes and receiving nods. "What about those of you with families?"

"What about when we have kids and they start being strange? Getting better grades, being faster than the other kids?" Alex told him. "What about when we get spotted and they burn us out and kill our families in the process?"

Riley stepped over to him and put his hands on his shoulders. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure." Alex told him bluntly. "I want to get this over with. Prove that we're not going to go without a fight. Force them to rethink exterminating us."

"And if that fails we'll take over a small island and fortify it." Krit announced jokingly but Riley wasn't rising to it this time.

"And what about when they bring in the Navy to bombard us from a distance?" Riley asked.

"Then we'll hijack a sodding ship bigger than theirs and shoot back." Matt told them and then grinned when he thought about actually taking a Naval Cruiser.

"Good." Riley nodded. "But you do all realise that it might just come to that?"

"We know." Seth nodded.

"I'll call Terminal City and get them to clear these areas and have people ready." Riley announced.

"You give me the number." Alex told him softly. "I'll do all of that, you just get some rest. You look tired."

"We'll be getting up at 0200 to prepare. We'll infiltrate the base at 0400. The plane leaves at 0500." Zack told him and Riley glanced at his watch. It was now almost eleven at night so he could get a few hours sleep. Enough to fully recharge his batteries. He nodded and let Matt lead him out of the room to take a quick shower and to find a cot to sleep on. Finally his brothers and sisters would return to their own kind and Riley pitied the poor souls trying to wipe them out.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Early morning**

Riley was laid out on his front fully kitted out and his brothers and sisters, his original family, were laid out on either side of him, ready to go in. It was an almost mirror image of their group training when they were younger with a few difference. There were some of them missing, Max obviously, Bryn who hadn't showed herself since Manticore had been destroyed and the others that had been killed. That and the fact they were older meant little to Riley but the most important thing that was wrong was that Riley's partner in things like this was missing. Max had always been paired with Zack in times like these and before they'd escaped Riley had always been paired with Ben. After they'd escaped it had been Alec but one of them was dead and the other was in Seattle.

His partner for this mission was Krit and that was fine by him. He was happy partnering up with any of them. Max was the only one that was a cause for concern for him because she refused to use guns which put her and her teammates at a disadvantage. Even though they wouldn't kill unless it was necessary in this war he knew that Max wouldn't kill regardless and that could put them into some serious trouble.

As their planned moment to start the mission past none of them moved. The patrolling guard was slightly late and they'd all noticed it even though nobody had mentioned it. They'd just lie and wait for him to pass by and then they'd make their move and just travel a little faster to reach their objective at the right time. Riley heard the approaching footsteps of two guards as well as the distinctive sound of a dog and watched as the patrol walked past them on their side of the fence. One of the advantages here was that the guards were wearing Night Vision Goggles so there were no lights on around the perimeter which should give the guards the advantage except that Transgenics could see in the dark. Luckily they weren't using thermal goggles though since that would have caused a small problem, not an insurmountable problem but still a delay.

Riley made the smallest of movements as soon as the patrol was clear and Krit made a small movement to show he was ready as well. Together they silently got clear of the tree line before boosting themselves up to a sprint and leaping well clear of the top of the twenty foot high fence. Normally they would have hit near the top and climbed over but the razor wire wasn't an easy thing to get through on this fence. Riley tucked and rolled as he landed on the other side and then flattened himself out on the ground next to Krit who was only a split second behind him. In all it had taken only two seconds to leave the tree line, jump the fence and become immobile again.

Riley scanned the inside of the compound while the others copied them and soon the nine of them were laid together. Riley and Krit, Sly and Zane, Alex and Matthew and then finally Zack, Seth and Jondy. It had taken only twenty seconds to get all nine of them over the fence.

Riley and Krit moved off together first, heading for the main administration building where the changing rooms were where they would find their targets and take their places. That was their first objective, after that they'd lose the stealth and simply walk out to the plane when the signal came through to load up and once the plane was safely on the way to Seattle they'd knock out the communications and put guns to the crew's heads to force them to take a small detour instead of just landing at the airstrip.

As they approached the administration building they could see around it to the airfield where crates were being loaded into the back of the Galaxy transport plane. They approached the windows to the corridor outside the changing room but because they were rather exposed the others would remain away until Riley and Krit had broken in and gotten inside before they approached in pairs. Krit made short work of the window and slid it open, nullifying the sensor on the inside without pause and then they both stopped with the window slightly open and held their breathes, listening to any sound inside and in Riley's case also listening to his extra sense. There were nine people in the changing room and that was where their luck came in. It would mean they wouldn't have to explain extra people or lack of people. If there had been only eight then one of them would have had to sneak onto the plane and with so many loaders around the plane that would be risky. Again not insurmountable but the longer it took the base to realise that something was wrong the better.

Riley touched Krit on the arm to show the coast was clear before Krit pushed the window clear and vaulted up and through it. Riley followed him and the two headed quickly to the doorway that led further into the building. Riley waited there listening to his senses as much as his eyes and ears while Krit watched the door into the changing room so that they wouldn't get any surprises. Once the last of the others were in the corridor they opened the door that led into the shower room that led through to the other side of the changing room and Riley and Krit backed down the corridor and through the door after the others had all gone before them.

Now that they had a little more safety they could relax a little while Sly and Zane watched the open door that led into the changing room. Now came the critical part. It was a one on one fight and they couldn't risk any noise getting out of the room. If they could get a couple out of the fight before all hell broke loose they'd be fine but that wasn't an option because they were all ready. They'd half hoped to catch one or two in the shower room.

Riley moved over to stand behind Sly and Krit followed him. Riley focused on the room before beginning to sign. Telling the others where the men were and designating one each to all of them so that they could burst in and in two seconds each have their own target to neutralise. It would be over in seconds that way.

Each signed that they understood the order of attack and their targets and with a moments concentration to make sure nobody had moved inside the other room Riley signalled the attack and twisted around and into the room. He ducked past three people, took two steps to the right, grabbed his target and pinned him to the wall before hitting him on the side of the head hard enough to knock him out cold for the next three hours. He dropped him before turning and sweeping the room with his eyes noting as Sly, the last through the door took out the last target. Riley closed his eyes trying to detect any major surge of people in the building but the dozen others in the building weren't moving all that much and the twenty loaders outside weren't running in their direction and only moved slowly in small groups.

"Nobody heard us." Riley whispered. The first to speak since they'd crept up to the outer fence. Riley took another look at the Special Forces they were going to replace. Most were fully dressed minus their combat gear and clothing. Riley's own was incidentally the team leader by his insignia and he was fully kitted up minus his helmet which Riley spotted. It was the only item that the group hadn't brought with them.

They worked together, cuffing the Norms and moving them into the showers and cuffing them together out of sight of the door. It would take somebody walking right in and through the showers to spot them and it would take one of them waking up before they could raise the alarm. After they were hidden away, with all of their own gear they loaded their duffel bags with anything they had decided to liberate with them. P-90s, Pistols, ammunition and armour striped from the Norms and then donned the comms headsets, complete with layout heads up displays that folded down over the left eye that could be uploaded with a map of the target area along with GPS signals from all allied units linked into the system. Finally they donned the helmets of the Norms and then merely waited until they were called to load up onto the plane.

The call came at 0445, forty-three minutes after they'd infiltrated the base and Riley could see the tension in the others. It had been a long time since they'd done anything like this and their training in Manticore had only been the skills necessary and not the scenarios like Riley had been put through a thousand times after they left. Manticore would set up scenarios that could never possibly happen in reality. Situations where every possible thing could go wrong and a few times it was against targets that didn't know they were being used as an exercise.

Riley and Alec had probably been put through the worst, sent to practice the bombing of a government depot in the Nevada desert. They'd gotten in unseen but then somebody had purposely tipped off the base about their intrusion, pretending to be one of the patrol guards finding a cut in the fence even though Alex and Riley had scaled it. The depot had been flooded with guards using live rounds and even a helicopter that Manticore had known they'd bring in with Thermal Imaging fed into HUDs on the soldiers on the ground. Riley and Alec had been spotted five times and lost both the helicopter and soldiers just as many times before Riley had short-circuited a fuel pump to start a fire to blank out the helicopter's camera so they could make their escape.

Manticore had then bailed out of the extraction point and made Riley and Alec evacuate on foot through the Nevada desert with trucks, jeeps, helicopters and even Predator drones trying to find them. It had taken a week to travel the fifty miles without being caught and still reach their secondary extraction point where surprising Lydecker had been to meet them with a shockingly pleased smile on his face.

Riley looked up from where he was sitting when his senses warned him that the crew outside was heading away from the plane and one of the men from upstairs was coming down to them. "The plane's finished loading and we're about to have company." Riley told them all before standing.

A minute later a man walked in and saluted Riley who gave him back a perfect salute in return. Manticore had trained them to integrate into military units without trouble though not until after the others had run away.

"We're ready for you to load up. Take off in ten." The man told him. "Do you need anything else?"

"We're good." Riley told him, pitching his voice in such a way that if the man had spoken to the team leader before he wouldn't pick up anything different except that the man he'd spoken to earlier was now focused on his task. Riley turned and gave out a few snappish orders addressing some of them by the names they'd lifted from the gear. Riley followed them out with the soldier beside him, letting Zack lead the way out of the far door and out onto the airfield before pausing within shouting range of the plane until they were waved forward by one of the pilots as per protocol.

Riley shook the soldier's hand in way of politely dismissing him and the man didn't think anything of any lack of informality they may have shared before. It was both informal enough and formal enough to avoid either problem. Riley was the last to load up and the team got themselves strapped in for takeoff without trouble. They'd flown in Galaxies before as children and it was nothing new though if memory served Krit had a small thing against flying back then.

"We'll taxi out straight away." The co-pilot told Riley before hitting the door close and heading forward and up the shot set of steps and into the open cockpit. Riley relaxed but kept his senses open to the airfield waiting for anything that would signal that they'd been found out even as he and all the others monitored the aircraft's motions to see if it suddenly stopped or made to turn back. If they got even a hint of that then they'd force the pilots to take off.

They needn't have worried though and soon they were lifting up off of the runway and climbing into the sky two minutes ahead of schedule with enough weaponry around them to supply an army and all packed in specially designed cases that allowed them to be ditched from the plane in a hurry and all equipped with parachutes for just such an occasion. You had to love the fact they were doing half the work for them.

Riley felt Krit shift uncomfortably and he turned to look at Krit with a grin on his face. "Nothing changed then?" Riley chuckled.

"Fuck off, Riley." Krit grumbled before flexing his fingers. "I ain't flown in ten years."

Riley shifted his hand and gripped Krit's hand in his own and Krit grumbled out about not being a kid anymore but didn't try to remove Riley's hand from his own. Riley kept half an eye on the cockpit stairs in case anyone came down but their view was blocked quite effectively and as soon as they were settled onto their new course Riley nodded to the others and they all unbuckled themselves.

"Riley, Krit. Go up to the cockpit and await our signal." Zack ordered and Riley nodded and stood up and Krit followed him. Krit would feel better being able to look out of the front of the plane. X-5's didn't get motion sick or claustrophobia but they had their own fears. "Sly, Zane, deal with the comms. Pull everything. The rest of you check the cargo."

Riley climbed the steps while the others started moving about and he heard the main comms unit being dismantled behind him as he entered the cockpit and the pilot looked at him and offered his hand. Riley shook it and nodded to him.

"Shouldn't be much more than an hour in the air." The pilot told him. "I don't envy where you're going. I mean who wants to fight those Transgenics?"

"I'd imagine the government does." Riley answered him crisply. "Or we wouldn't be going there."

"You think you and your men can take them?" The co-pilot asked.

"We'll see I suppose." Riley told them before looking around the cock-pit. "Have you radioed in a good takeoff?"

"Yup, two minutes ago." The co-pilot told him and Riley nodded to him, pleased that they wouldn't have the control tower chasing up on them. "So, what are your orders?"

"That would be classified." Krit told him glancing out of the window.

"You alright, mate?" The co-pilot asked Krit.

"He's fine, just gets a little anxious in planes." Riley chuckled in real amusement.

"I'd imagine it's just kill them, right?" The co-pilot asked continued the same conversation.

"I'd imagine so." Riley grunted.

"Don't see why." The co-pilot grumbled. "I mean I'm happy to lug things around, it's my job, you know?"

"Not this again, Chaz." The pilot sighed.

"No, let's hear it." Riley prompted.

"Well that's just the thing, isn't it?" Chaz turned to Riley. "I'm just doing my job but weren't the Transgenics just doing their job. That Manticore place made them but they were just following orders and who doesn't want to live even if you were made in a test tube."

"Interesting." Riley said so as to see what else the man had to say.

"And there are some that are adults right, born twenty years ago, right?" Chaz continued. "They didn't bother nobody before this so who's to say they care about any of us. I say just let them be, let them have a town or something and then people that don't want to be near them can just stay away."

"What about the fact they're trained to kill?" Riley asked.

"Hey, mate, so are the US Marines but nobody's trying to round them up into camps." The pilot pointed out.

Riley heard a whistle from the back of the plane. "It's interesting you would say that." Riley told them. "I need to just send a message back to the airfield, can you raise them?"

"Sure thing, you want it encrypted?" Chaz asked him. Riley just shook his head and Chaz began trying to raise the airfield on the comms before trying to reach anyone when that didn't work. "That's strange, it must be playing up. Let me try the back up." He tried that as well without any luck.

"You got anything else?" Riley asked.

"We'll try the sat." Chaz told him but that failed too. He tried a few reboots and emergency systems before giving up. "Unless we're skimming the ground and you guys use your headsets we're completely dark. We're going to have to turn around."

"Don't worry about that." Riley told him. "This is what we want."

"What?" Chaz turned to look at him just as Riley pulled out his gun and held it loosely by his side. "What the fuck?"

"Sorry guys, but we're going to have you pull a slight detour before you land this thing." Riley told them just as Krit moved slightly, showing his gun to the pilot. "If you do what we say then you won't even be delayed by more than a few minutes."

"Who the hell are you guys?" Chaz asked nervously.

"Don't fret, Chaz." Riley leaned down to him slightly. "Especially after what you've just been talking about. Like you said you Norms should just let us have a town or something and leave us the hell alone. Then we wouldn't have to do things like taking out special forces units sent to kill us and then hijack the weapons they plan to use against us."

"You're Transgenics?" Chaz gasped.

"Got it in one." Riley smirked. "And like I said, if you don't cause us any trouble we won't have a problem."

"What did you do to the SFs?" The pilot asked.

"They're currently sleeping in the changing room." Riley told him. "Otherwise unharmed. We don't want to hurt people, we just want to live our own lives and not the lives that your government raised us to have."

"Look, just don't..." Chaz started.

"Chill." Krit told him. "Nobody's going to start killing people for the fun of it. We're trained professionals not terrorists with sawn off shotguns looking for a death count. The only objective we have is for you to fly twice over Terminal City in Seattle, once at high altitude so we can dump the cargo to our friends and then a second time as low as possible so we can leave you in peace and you can fly off on your merry way."

"Well said." Riley laughed. "Now are we going to have a problem with you guys?" Chaz and the pilot shook their heads. "Good now I'm going to say this just once in case you guys try to take your chances that you're the only ones that can fly a plane. I was put through basic flight training when I was fourteen and landing this thing isn't one of my objectives. I just have to bail out when I'm in the right place. So don't think I have to keep you alive if you start causing me major problems. Of course if you do the only difference will be a fireball in down town Seattle when this thing crashes after I wave goodbye to it without living pilots inside. Understand?"

"Perfectly." The pilot nodded.

"Good." Riley nodded just as Zane and Sly came up to let Riley and Krit go back down to the hold. "They're not going to give us any trouble."

"Especially not after that little speech." Sly laughed.

"Cram it." Riley told her before slipping past her and down the steps with Krit on his tail. It wouldn't be that long of a flight and they had to start preparing for their bail out.

As they were approaching Seattle a little over an hour later they alerted the pilot and co-pilot that they were going to open the back and Zack made his way out onto the ramp with a harness to hang off the back to ensure that the eight crates fell where they were supposed to. They were lucky in that the wind was rather low down near the ground and they'd received word from Terminal City that they were ready, spread throughout the area of the city.

Riley stood by the release for the crates and when Zack signalled him he kicked the release all the way and one at a time the crates, designed to be dumped in a hurry, rolled back down the ramp and into the air. They'd drop a hundred feet before the cord pulled the parachutes and they floated down the rest of the thousand feet and into Terminal city. Zack waited out the back as the crates landed amongst Terminal City before pulling himself back in and reporting that all five crates were with their friends and none had missed their targets.

Krit shut the ramp and Riley moved up to the cockpit and nodded to Sly who went down below. They already agreed that Riley would be the last out. The pilot was already changing course into a spiral that would take them down to a mere hundred feet, easily a safe distance for the nine of them to drop down to the ground. It would be timing it to land on a safe object that could cause the problem but they didn't want to risk the police units shooting at them in the air.

"You two have done good." Riley told them.

"They might not see it that way." Chaz told him.

"We've thought of that." Riley said simply. "There are cut ropes half tied to the bulkhead back there and enough evidence to suggest that we overcame you and tied you up. We're professionals and they know that, you wouldn't have been harmed pointlessly. I flew the plane until the last minute, put it on glide before I jumped, cutting you free at the last moment."

"You're protecting us?" Chaz asked.

"We're not interested in making trouble but if people make it for us we sure ain't going to take it lying down." Riley explained. "Stick to that story if you want but nine of us against you makes it easy to believe that we overcame the two of you without trouble."

Riley glanced out of the front, they were making their run now. Riley touched both men on the shoulders knowing they weren't their enemy. "It's a shame there aren't more people like you around."

"I'm sure there are." The pilot told him.

"Unfortunately they aren't the ones making the noise." Riley sighed before turning. "It's time!" He shouted back to the others before turning back to the pilot. "They're about to open the ramp again." He warned knowing that the pilot would have to be careful at this low altitude. He felt the slight decrease in pressure and the shudder as the ramp opened out and as they started over Terminal City Riley gave the two Norms his farewell and dashed back just as he watched Krit jump from the back, following the others. Riley hit the close button for the door before jumping the raising ramp and falling out of the plane. He spun, once to put his feet below him, assessed where he was going to land, twisted to avoid a ventilation shaft and not a second after leaving the plane he hit the roof of one of the buildings, rolled twice along the ground and up into a run, wearing off the momentum of his fall without damage.

He turned to see the Galaxy stay its course for a few more seconds before with a small jerk it raised its nose and began to climb. He turned at the sound of a buzzer. It was at a level that only Transgenics could hear and it was a coded sequence of sounds. The Norms could undoubtedly pick it up on their microphones if they looked for it but even then they wouldn't realise the coding sequence. It was a basic Manticore one, telling new forces to meet at the largest building where Riley knew the headquarters was. It was a clever system but he was sure that they didn't normally use the standard coding.

He moved to the edge of the building and looked around. He could sense four people within easy reach but he was actually only a few hundred feet from the edge of the city and because he'd jumped from the plane a few seconds after the others he was a long way away from them. He saw one person down on the ground, an X-6 and then another stepped out of the shadows, an X-5 that Riley hadn't been able to sense. Riley jumped from the top of the building and crouched as he landed two stories lower to greet the two.

"That was fun." Riley announced.

"I'm sure it was." X5- 248 told him with a roll of the eyes.

"Love to chat but I gotta go." Riley announced and with a mock salute he took off towards HQ at a run that covered the ground quickly. He found his way into the main control room which seemed to have grown into different sections and the security around the building was impressive.

Max was in the room and Riley hugged her before looking for Alec, finding his boyfriend talking to one of the techs who was organising the movement of all of the gear that Riley and the others had delivered. "I don't like this, Max." Riley announced loud enough for Alec to hear making him jerk up at the sound of Riley's voice. "Gone for so long and he doesn't even notice I'm back. It's so painful."

Max laughed even as Alec rolled his eyes and moved over to him, grabbed him and kissed him so hard and deeply that when they broke apart Riley couldn't help but purr. And then glare at everyone in the room who was staring at them. "Get your own." Riley warned them away from commenting.

"The others were met out in the city and are being taken up onto the roof." Max told him sounding rather nervous. "They should be there by now."

"Come on then." Riley told Max and grabbed her arm. He knew she was anxious to meet the others and also a like scared since she hadn't seen many of them in a long time. She'd met up with Krit and Sly when they'd helped her break into Manticore and she'd seen Zack but the others hadn't been near her in ten years. Not since they'd been children in Manticore.

Alec came up with Riley and Max and Riley paused two flights below the roof and turned to Alec. "You realise the reaction you're going to get right?"

"What do you mean?" Alec obviously hadn't thought about it and neither had Max it seemed. She clearly had realised now though since she gasped quietly.

"You are identical to Ben." Riley sighed. "I don't know how many of them saw Ben after they escaped but they all know what happened to him. They know we're together but I don't know how they'll react to seeing you."

"I hadn't thought about that." Alec sighed.

"Sorry." Riley took his hand and kept a firm grip on it as they made their way up onto the roof where the eight others stood around with a number of others making conversation in the broad daylight.

"Guys." Zane spoke up calling to the others as he spotted Riley approaching. Riley smiled at them as the eight quickly moved towards them.

"Max!" Sly grinned and hugged her, followed by Krit and then Zack. And then there was a brief pause where nobody moved and then Alex walked forwards and up to Max.

"Good to see you, sister." He told her with a real smile of happiness and then kissed her on the cheek and hugged her. "We've all missed hearing from you."

They each took turns saying hello to her and when Zane, the last, had done so Riley spoke up. "I don't think any of us had much to do with Alec before you guys escaped." He pointed out pulling tighter on Alec's hand knowing that he wanted to escape. They all turned to look at him, as if assessing him before Krit moved forwards in almost complete mirror to Alex's movements with Max.

Suddenly he hugged Alec and Riley knew the shock his boyfriend must have gone into at the show of affection. Krit pulled back slightly and put his hands on Alec's shoulders. "You looked after Riley after we left. That makes you one of us as far as I'm concerned. If you hadn't been around then Riley would be on his own and we all owe him so much."

"What do you owe me?" Riley asked. "I haven't helped you do anything you couldn't have done yourselves."

"You forgave us." Krit turned to him with a smile and the tension in the air completely faded as Riley moved to introduce Alec to all of the others and they moved down to change out of the combat gear and share stories with Riley, Alec, Max and any Transgenic that wanted to hear about the last ten years of their lives.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

Riley sat on an old work table on the edge of the planning room that the Transgenics had built within the sewer system. It was completely dry and they were setting up a secondary control centre here in case the one in the building was taken out. It also meant they could discuss things in here without worrying about spy systems like microwave. Between Riley's legs was Alec who was rubbing the bottom of Riley's leg gently as the group discussed the plans.

"The main thing we have to consider is the plane of attack." Riley spoke up drawing everyone's attention. They'd been discussing what sort of hardware the army would bring in. "They can hit us by land either with troops or artillery but we can handle that. We can match what they bring in. Our main trouble lies in the last two planes of attack. Air and Sea, namely long range attacks from the sea."

"Go on." Max nodded to him.

"We don't have anything that could counter an aircraft. Helicopter possibly but at some point they're going to throw something big our way. An F-35 for instance and we've got nothing to take out incoming missiles." Riley explained. "What we need is to get some serious counter measures in here and the hand held stuff isn't going to do it."

"Then what do you think we need?" Mole asked raising an eyebrow.

"We need a few Patriot Batteries." Riley announced and paused for the surprised gasps to spread through the thirty people in the room. The team leaders. "Enough to show we're ready for them to throw an aircraft at us. And a couple of truck mounted Goalkeepers would be nice to have too."

"And where do you suppose we get them from?" Mole asked.

"Getting a hold of them isn't really the trouble." Riley pointed out.

"Getting them in here is." Alec joined in.

"I've got a way." One of the techs perked up.

"Really?" Mole asked sarcastically.

"This is what we do remember." The tech chuckled. "By the size and dimensions of the truck mounted weaponry we could get tank mounted Patriots, Flatbed AA guns and Flatbed Goalkeepers in through the Eastern sewers. There's one down there that is large enough. We'd have to roll them in a long way away."

"And then clear the area of the army while we roll them in." Zack spoke up.

"I want to know how long we can clear the area for realistically. I need to know how long the window is before they start to notice such a gap in their defences. The longer the better." Riley spoke up. "If we're going to do something like that we're going to do it properly. Bring in enough weaponry that they'll have a heart attack when they see it." The group chuckled at the joke. It was well know that Norms suffered from such things as heart attacks and Transgenics didn't. "And let's think about what else we should bring in with them and find out exactly where to get it all from."

"Right then, that takes care of Air threats and even large infantry cos their not going to go up against Goalkeepers and AA guns." Max pointed out. "What were you going to say about Sea attacks?"

"I'm going to hack into the Navy systems and find out exactly what they are doing but I'd guess that by now they're going to be moving some seriously large ships into the Seattle bay area. Namely Cruisers with guns that can level Terminal City and at some point one of the army officers down there is going to decide they can't fight us on the ground and they'll call in the big guns." Riley said.

"And what do you suggest?" Zack asked with a raised eyebrow. "Send out some divers to mine them all?" He asked rather sarcastically.

"Why does everyone assume I want to blow it up?" Riley asked. "Why blow up a big gun when you can capture it?" He said reminding himself of what Matt had said when he'd met them just the day before.

"What?" Max flinched and even Alec turned to look up at his boyfriend as if he was mad.

"Oh come on!" Riley groaned. "I'm the only one that thought of it?"

"Thought of what exactly?" Max pressed.

"Some of those ships are floating fortresses. A single Cruiser holds over a thousand crew with supplies." Riley pointed out. "Along with the weaponry to defend it. I say we go all the way with this. Take their big gun advantage away by taking it for ourselves. Take a couple of the smaller ships to provide the protection and then decide whether to bother staying in Terminal City at all. I mean it's not _all_ that nice here anyway."

"You're serious?" Max asked him.

"Look, why not?" Riley asked. "We know how the systems work and as I see it they created us to be their warriors so I say let's take their weapons from them."

"Oh god." Max sighed. "He's serious."

Riley huffed and sat back. "Fine then."

"I think he's onto something." The tech spoke up. "We could spend weeks trying to fortify this place enough to protect ourselves and it'll all go out the window if the Navy start bombarding the area. We'd all have to hide in the sewers and that wouldn't last that long. Basically those ships are an already fortified base ready for us to garrison and by my guess we have the expertise to run them efficiently. The tech we were taught on is more advanced already."

"See, I like him." Riley announced.

"It does beat trying to get the weapons in past the line." Alec pointed out to Max and Riley glanced around to see that a few seemed to be agreeing with him.

"And you're not just saying that because he's your boyfriend?" Max asked.

"Well there is that too." Alec laughed. "But he's got a point and it's only a matter of time before somebody in the Pentagon says blow them all to hell."

"And they're less likely to order such a thing if we're controlling ships capable of firing back at them." Zack pointed out.

"I'm going to be my own devil's advocate it seems." Riley sighed. "You're all getting onboard so let me point out the major drawback."

"What's that?" Max asked.

"If we take these little weapons like the Patriots then it'll worry the Pentagon." Riley pointed out. "But if we take something like a Cruiser and a couple of anti-submarine and anti-aircraft ships then we're going to worry other people. Like the British Navy and we know they've been patrolling both the Atlantic and Pacific in the time since the EM Pulse. They weren't effected and they might not like renegades in control of the weaponry."

"This is your idea." Max pointed out. "We'd be taking a rather massive step that we won't be able to just step back from."

"Right now I don't see any other long term solution." Riley sighed. "We can't just sit in here and try to defend ourselves. We might be better than them but we don't have the hardware and anything we can get a hold of can be outmatched."

"It's not like he's suggesting the impossible." Zack pointed out. "The plan is easily enough carried out. We could easily overcome a ship's company."

"Right well I don't see us needing to come to a decision on this right away." Max announced. "Riley, look into the Navy, Dix have a look at the equipment we'd need if we stayed here. The rest of you, talk to your groups and find out what they think about both options."

Everyone slowly filed out of the room and Max and Zack walked towards where Riley and Alec were sitting and standing. Riley looped his arms over Alec's shoulders and they hung on his chest. His left hand flat and pushed through an open button to sit on his skin, just under his pectorals and his right holding his left wrist. Max and Zack both glanced at his hand but didn't comment on it.

"What do you two think?" Riley asked. "Stay here or take the ship?"

"I think if you hadn't been here nobody would have even considered taking the ships." Max told him. "We would have realised the threat and packed up and gone inland but then we'd still have Howitzers and the like to worry about."

"Good thinking kiddo." Zack told him with a grin.

"If I wasn't so comfortable here I'd come over there and hit you, Zack." Riley told him before tightening his arms around Alec and resting his chin on the top of Alec's hair. "Alec, make me move please. I've got work to do."

Alec, Max and Zack all laughed and Alec, in way of responding, spun in Riley's arms and kissed him firmly. "I think we should leave." Zack stage whispered to Max.

"Possibly." Max muttered in amusement.

"Stop discussing it and get out." Riley told them with a brief break from the kiss even as his hands subtly opened up Alec's shirt without the two others noticing. If Riley was going to have to do some work he was going to get a good frisk before hand and Alec definitely wasn't complaining but if Max and Zack didn't get out soon they'd be able to smell their excitement in the air.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	18. Final Freedom

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 18; Final Freedom

**Terminal City**

Riley sat with his legs crossed under him in the main control room of Terminal City. From where he sat he could see fifty two screens showing him different things about the Transgenic controlled section of Seattle. Most of them were camera feeds either from fixed cameras or from the roving patrols with head cameras. There was also a military motion detector system covering their area reporting any movement around them in a large circle that just reached the lines of soldiers and tanks besieging them and told them any time anything moved closer to them.

It was night time and the city was constantly swept by patrols of four Transgenics. Almost twenty patrols at any one time moving about the city while another fifteen groups of two manned observation points in prominent places. Even if a force managed to sneak past the observation points they'd have to dodge the patrols which couldn't be predicted since the routes were given out to the patrols and they changed every four hours to new routes. In the twenty-four hours since the air drop carried out by Riley and his old brothers and sisters the army besieging them had been quiet, probably trying to work out what kind of supplies they'd gotten from the plane which by now they'd know was weapons, tactical equipment, ammunition and food packages.

He'd spent the entire day working on his plan, using his computer system to hack into the Navy satellite grid and finding out what ships they had where and what plans they were putting into motion. He was planning what to do if the Transgenics decided that his idea of taking a ship and sailing away had any merit and his head was filled with possibilities.

"What we're here to discuss is what to do now." Max told the seventy-odd Transgenics listening. They were the leaders of the patrols and squads. They'd all be told early in the day what the plans were and there'd been much discussion that day over it. "You all know the options. Do we stay here and fight even as they bring in more and more heavy artillery or do we vanish from Terminal City and take the ships and risk getting stuck somewhere in between?"

"Those our only options then?" Mole chuckled. "I say we fight."

"Fight we can do." Riley agreed. "The question is where do we fight. Sure, we can sit here in our fortress and fend them off when they send soldiers, then when they send tanks we might lose a few. We could go out and get patriot batteries and heavy tanks and when they send planes we can shoot them down. Most probably lose a few there too but all we can do when they start sending shells is scurry underground like scared rats."

He had everyone's undivided attention now. "I saw we strike out and take the biggest gun from them. Put ourselves out of range of all of the little weapons so that we only have to worry about the big ones like the planes." Riley suggested. "Sail out to sea and at least then we have options available to us."

"Everyone knows the options and everyone knows what they want to do." Max nodded and paused as she saw everyone's respect for Riley's suggestion so cut straight too it. "Anyone opposed to Riley's plan to take a Navy ship or small fleet?"

There wasn't a single Transgenic in the room that so much as moved and Max turned to Riley with a nod. "You done your homework?" She asked with a smirk.

"There are five ships that I want us to go for." Riley said simply. "As soon as this all started the Pentagon ordered them out of Hawaii and towards us and right now they're sitting about two hundred miles off the coast."

"Two hundred miles is a long way to go with so many of us and without being spotted." One of the techs pointed out.

Riley grinned and watched as Max winced. "The fleet is made up of a single heavy and three escorts. A Ticonderoga guided missile Cruiser, an Arleigh Burke Destroyer and an older Arthur Hazard Perry Frigate. The heavy is what makes me certain we can do this. An auxiliary replenishment and assault ship that according to the Navy satellite network current has three operational helicopters and two heavy cargo helicopters. Not to mention enough food onboard to feed all of us for a year."

"What's your plan, Riley?" Max asked.

"I'll let the brains iron out the details to use everyone but I want to hit and completely take the airbase a hundred miles from here on the coastline. We have more than enough people that can pilot helicopters and we take them out to the fleet." Riley lectured. "They won't let us land without the proper authority but the helicopters will bank away just over the assault ship and that'll be enough for our guys to hit the deck running. Take the assault ship as fast as we can, completely overwhelm her crew and cut her comms to the other ships. I don't know how long it will take for the other three ships to notice but even if they see something suspicious they won't expect an attack like this and that'll work in our favour."

"How do we get from one ship to another. For that matter how do we get more guys out there?" Mole asked.

"We fake a black out on the ship." Riley shrugged. "Black it out and fall out of sector. With no comms and no lights it'll take time for the ships to detect what we're doing on their radars and they'll spend time trying to raise us on communications. We'll simply fly out another wave of helicopters onto the assault ship. Flying over without stopping just as before."

"What good will that do us against the other ships?"

"By the time we have three hundred on board we'll fake an emergency. Sound abandon ships and our guys will board the lifeboats. Once in the water the other ships will pick them up. Each of the lifeboats takes ninety guys so that's easily enough guys to take any of the other ships. The only close call will be the Missile Cruiser as it has about six hundred onboard at the moment. As soon as the surprise is sprung we'll send the remainder of our guys up in the helicopters from the assault ship and rappel onto the ships where they're needed." Riley continued emotionlessly even as the scenarios played out in his mind. "The brains will have to come up with the better plan I'm afraid. I can only speak for myself but I don't see them being able to do us any real damage before we're too close to fend off. Even if they realise that we've taken the assault ship from them they won't fire on their own ship without permission from their bases and if anything they'll help us out by coming in closer or even trying to board us to retake the ship."

"Let them try." Mole grinned.

"Exactly." Riley nodded.

"It's a workable plan." A guy sitting up at the back told him. One of the Transgenics designed specifically to replace generals and their entire staffs. He, and each of the other four in Terminal City, were able to keep track of almost everything without the help of anything but their own minds. Even Riley had to admit it was incredible.

"Then work on it and give us details. Times, attack groups, everything." Max ordered. "Everyone else get the word out about what we're planning." The group quickly began to disperse and Riley watched them go before he jumped off of the table he'd been sitting on and tugged the so far silent Alec from the room. They hadn't had much sleep last night since they'd decided they had better things to do but both of them, as well as Krit and Sly, had a mission to carry out today which was to spook the hell out of the army out there and to be honest Riley couldn't wait.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That night**

The plans had been drawn and the city was preparing for their departure, loading everything they could reasonably take which was quite a bit of supplies since they planned on taking control of a helicopter base for two hours. To distract the humans from their preparations Riley, Alec, Sly and Krit snuck through the darkness like the wind, leaping between buildings and hanging from the tops of fences and on a few occasions the top of the tall truck mounted floodlights that had been set up. It was easy to move across the top of the human's line with their floodlights since again they'd underestimated their abilities and even if the first jump had been a little on the long side all four had made it across from the buildings to the first of the flood lights and while crouched on top of the lights they were invisible from the ground because nobody there could look up past the bright lights.

Riley and Krit's target was the command truck, a large semi trailer with a hundred different aerials and cables coming from it and milling with people. Alec and Sly would create a small diversion by taking out a few guards around the place silently. As soon as one of these were found Riley and Krit would slip into the trailer, lock the door so that they could hold the command staff hostage for a short time while Riley hacked in and destroyed all of their electronics. Just something for them to fuss with for the rest of the night.

Alec and Sly would then prepare their own surprise for later when they took their leave of Terminal City for the last time except they'd be long gone before their surprise was tripped but it would give them extra time and too much chaos for them to try to track them that night and they'd be gone by the time they thought to search the city, if they even realised they were gone. The Transgenics had been careful to not ever be seen from the outside of the city and only a few lights here and there told the humans that anyone was even in there and also when a new communications aerial or dish appeared.

Riley and Krit landed silently on the top of the trailer and quickly pinned themselves down to the surface so as not to be silhouetted and Krit went quickly to work taking apart a vent that the two of them could just about fit down that would lead them straight into the command centre. It took a few minutes to remove all the bolts but with Krit's strength it wasn't a problem to force it open and soon they were looking through a fan that was idling and down through a mesh into the command room. It was rather poorly designed but then again the military had merely taken over the police command trailer and not bothered to bring in an armoured one of their own.

Krit quickly dismantled the fan and then pushed down on the mesh to break it free and then with a deft movement took the weight of the mesh and bent it so he could pull it up through the roof. Now they had an eighteen inch wide square entrance and they merely waited. Riley handed Krit his P-90 since he wouldn't be able to fit through the gap with it and as soon as they heard the first sign of commotion outside Riley got to his feet and dropped down through the opening. He bent his knees and landed silently on the carpeted floor without the team manager noticing. He heard the P-90 being dropped behind him and caught it before catching the second just as quietly. It was then that the team manager turned and saw him and gasped in surprise. Riley knocked him out with a blow to the head from the butt of one of the weapons and then handed Krit his own P-90 as his partner dropped to the floor. The three techs in the room tried to scramble to their feet but Riley just aimed his gun and they collapsed back into their seats.

Krit moved to the door and pulled the lock closed and looked through the peephole. "The two guards by the door haven't moved." Krit told Riley quietly even though Riley's senses had already told him as such.

Riley nodded and turned to one of the humans. "Pull up the distribution network." He ordered. The man shook his head and Riley sighed. "There are three of you with that access. You really think I need to put up with your refusal?"

The man winced but turned back to the screen and typed in a passcode which the computer accepted. Riley moved forwards and knocked him out in his seat even as Krit knocked out the other two. They put them on the floor and Riley sat down and started to work. He could have hacked the system easily enough but threatening the techs enough to put in the code made his life far easier.

It took him a few seconds to find where he wanted to go and he uploaded the virus from a USB key after forcing the system to accept that kind of device and then watched happily as everything connected to the computers went haywire, including all of the military and police headset displays and communications.

"That's it, Riley." Krit told him from behind him. "The guards outside are checking their equipment. Let's get out of here."

"After you." Riley grinned at him and caught Krit's P-90 and then watched as he jumped straight up through the hole in the ceiling and then tossed his own and Krit's gun after him. Riley followed him up a few seconds later and soon the two were out of the military's area and back inside Terminal City. They settled on the top of a building and watched the chaos just in case anyone spotted Alec or Sly as they snuck around in the shadows planting their surprise.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next night**

Riley walked beside Alec with Max on his other side as they headed down through the sewers. The first part of their evacuation had been to send in small teams of Transgenics into the sewers to take out the sentries and patrols that the humans had put down here and they'd found and neutralised twenty of them leaving a large hole in their perimeter from the ground down that they were taking everything through, from people and weapons to as much supplies and ammunition as they could carry. They'd then started actually evacuating after destroying much of their equipment that they'd had to leave behind.

"Go get Logan, Max." Riley told her as they came up to a junction in the sewers. Logan had decided to put his hand into the basket as it were and to be honest they might need a human as a spokesman at some point. Max nodded to him before splitting off and disappearing into the shadows as she headed for Sandeman's house to pick him up and take him to the helicopter base.

An X-6 kid ran back towards Riley a few minutes later and although he'd probably been running for some time he wasn't in the least bit out of breath. "The routes clear all the way to our extraction and the transport is ready for us." The kid told him.

Riley nodded in the darkness and the kid ran off ahead of him once again. Riley let himself relax and instead turned to Alec and jerked his head up at a sewer drain. They were far out of the perimeter now and even the back of the line would soon clear it too. It was time for their little diversion and Riley wanted to put in a word while he was at it. Alec and he climbed up the ladder and after checking they wouldn't be seen climbed out onto the alleyway above them. They quickly scaled a rusty fire escape up onto the roof of the building and ignored the small group of homeless sleeping around the rooftop in makeshift huts. Nobody noticed them nor their less than subtle P-90s as they walked across to the side of the roof that looked out over the darkened Terminal City ringed by the bright lights of the military and police. It was like a black hole in the middle of Seattle.

"Ready?" Riley asked and Alec nodded and pulled out the remote trigger and armed it. Riley pulled out his phone and dialled a number he hadn't used in a while but had checked was still in use. He'd hacked into the phone company as part of this distraction and made it so when he called the police detective that had been present the day that this had all started it would automatically connect Ames White's phone to the call.

Riley listened to it ring a few times and as it did he noticed something with his senses and half turned his head in the direction of a few people on the other side of the roof but didn't actually turn to look at them and merely put them to the side of his mind, wary of their presence and he merely kept an eye on them in case they did anything. The detective answered on the sixth ring. _"Clemente here."_ He greeted.

"Hold on one moment detective Clemente, I'm expecting another guest to the conversation." Riley told him and just then there was a noticeable click as White answered his phone. "Ah, White, good of you to pull yourself away from your plans of world domination to join us."

"_Who is this?"_ White asked.

"_White?"_ Clemente asked.

"_Who are you?"_ White sounded confused and Riley rolled his eyes.

"Be quiet the both of you." Riley interrupted. "Humans, can't even understand a simple phone hack when they have one in their hands, literally. "Clemente, White. White, Clemente. I believe you've already met while pissing on each other's territory. Lot of good that did you. You and your mutant goons got your arses handed to you, White."

"_Who is this?"_ White growled.

"Use some imagination, White." Riley's sneer was obvious in his voice.

"_This is Riley Faedren isn't it?"_ Clemente was clearly gritting his teeth.

"_You!"_ White hissed angrily.

"I'm disappointed in you, White." Riley scoffed. "The human worked it out before you did. And you and your cult of mutants think you're above them? Despicable show of ineptitude White. Oh, and don't start trying to trace this call detective, it'll trace straight to your phone anyway. You don't realise quite how far into the infrastructure of Seattle us Transgenics have gotten."

"_What do you want, Faedren?"_ White hissed.

"You, White, can call me 862." Riley ordered. "Since you're so eager to treat us like cattle why not brand us like them."

"_You're not cattle, 862. Cattle has a purpose."_ White told him with some of his normal sneer.

"Careful, White." Riley warned. "It was a shame that you weren't in the car at the time but who do you really think blew it up behind you outside the sector police station?"

"_You..."_ White hissed.

"Now now, White. Don't start acting like a child." Riley tutted.

"_What is it that you want, Faedren?" _Clemente asked, rather calmly actually.

"We'll get to that later." Riley told him. "For now though I want to know whether you found out the answer to the little conundrum I gave you the first time we spoke?"

"_Ah that."_ Clemente paused. _"I have a good guess of which it was. The survival of the hostages is evidence of it I believe."_

"Ah good." Riley complimented. "There may be some hope for you humans yet though if White's cult has anything to say about it then perhaps not. Say White, have you worked out what you and your cronies plan to do with us Transgenics yet? You see, we're good at thinking up plans and unfortunately for you our attention is focused on our greatest threat and at the moment that is your desire to completely exterminate us. Clemente's guys just want to protect the world from us freaks but you guys, you're just not that pleasant are you White?"

He didn't get an answer but he heard something smash in the background and grinned. "Shall we get to the real reason I called tonight then?" Riley asked.

"_If you would."_ Clemente prompted.

"By now you've probably fixed the damage to your electronics from last night but that was a warning shot, Clemente." Riley told him. "We haven't been sitting around in this forsaken hell hole twiddling our thumbs and it's surprising how much can get done when you've got several hundred Transgenics working together twenty hours a day."

"_What are you saying?"_ Clemente asked.

"Isn't it normal in this sort of situation for us to give our demands?" Riley asked.

"_Generally we were going for terms of surrender."_ Clemente pointed out.

"_These freaks don't surrender."_ White hissed.

"Hey look, White's trying to redeem himself." Riley grinned to Alec who chuckled. "He's right though, we don't do anything as mundane as surrender purely because our plans always take the worst case scenario into account."

"_Then what are your demands?"_ Clemente asked.

"More of an ultimatum." Riley told him. "We want every military and police unit currently in Seattle to retreat to an area ten miles outside of the limits of Terminal City except for in sector seven which is to be completely cleared including sector border guards."

"_You want to leave the city?" _Clemente asked in astonishment.

"Obviously." Riley scoffed. "You have one hour from now to start effecting your withdrawal. If we see no attempt to begin at the deadline then we shall assume your non-compliance."

"_And if we don't?"_ Clemente asked.

Riley laughed. "We're the most elite insurgency group in the world."

"_What are you talking about?"_ White hissed angrily at Riley's laughter.

"Right now communications with the Seattle Bank Nuclear power station have been severed, no call to them will go through so you have no way of warning them of the situation. Six C4 charges have been planted in key positions, and trust me we know the key positions to use. In one hours time, sorry correction, fifty-eight minutes time now, if we do not see the effect of your withdrawal we will detonate the charges and cause a meltdown in the reactor which because of our tampering will not respond to any attempt to prevent it." Riley grinned at Alec who was trying not to laugh.

"_You're bluffing!"_ White hissed. _"There's no way you got out of Terminal City!"_

"We thought you might say that so we decided on a demonstration for you. In three minutes time you will witness the proof that we are able to move through your line with little effort. At that point I'd suggest you either give into my demands or call for the nearest Nuclear Incident response unit and every emergency response unit within reach." Riley hung up his phone and turned to Riley. "It's a shame we can't watch them running around."

Alec laughed but then sighed. "You know there are three over there who are watching us?" He asked. "More than homeless people should?"

Riley made a gesture and Alec's eyes narrowed. He'd used a new sign that Alec had suggested for Wizard. "It's not a problem. I think they were placed up here to watch out over Terminal City."

"Should be jump them?" Alec asked even though there was little chance that the three Wizards didn't already know they'd been spotted.

Riley just shrugged and raised his P-90 and aimed it at the nearest homeless person. He kicked him to catch his rather bored attention and the man scrambled backwards in fright as he found himself looking up at the barely of a machine gun. "Get off of this roof." Riley hissed dangerously.

"Get up!" Alec yelled getting the idea. "Get your arses moving right now! The first person I see in five seconds get's a bullet in his head."

Somebody screamed and that was it, fifteen homeless people were running away from Riley and Alec in a panic, fleeing down the staircase into the building and down over the fire escape. "That was fun." Riley muttered before turning to the three Wizards who were merely standing with their right arms slightly raised in front of them. "Those pathetic tricks aren't going to protect you from us." Riley warned them. "Come over here and if you even think of pulling something I'll shoot you dead."

The three walked over to them but Riley couldn't see anything past the hoods of their dusty brown cloaks and figured the unnatural darkness to the shadows over their faces was a trick. "You're actions sadden me, my dear boy." One of them asked and if the texture of his voice was anything to go by he was getting on in his years.

"I am no boy." Riley pointed out. "Lower your hoods."

The man that had spoken turned to look at the other two who turned to look back at him and his hood moved in a distinctive nod and together the three lowered their hoods. Riley had already assessed that the shortest one of the three was female by the way she had moved as she walked between the other two and his assumption that the man that had spoken was old was proven correct. The man that had spoken had white hair that grew long as well as a thick and long beard that was hidden under his cloak. If Riley had to guess he'd say the man was in his seventies if not eighties. The woman was about Riley's age, short with bushy brown hair. The last man was taller but ill looking but regardless of his appearance he moved with a grace that human's didn't normally have and the muscles moving in his neck and hands showed strength.

Riley glanced at Alec who was watching the last man and moved his hands rapidly to say there was something wrong with the last man. Riley responded in kind before turning to look at the man who's stringy brown hair held too much grey for his assumed age. "You are not entirely human." The man blanched and a hard look crept into his eyes. A pain. Riley frowned. "That was not meant as an insult. Only an observation and request for more information."

"I am not entirely human." The man told him.

"Perhaps introductions are in order?" The old man offered. "This dear lady is Hermione Granger, this is Remus Lupin and I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where you should have attended on your eleventh birthday."

"Sometimes life doesn't go as planned." Riley sneered before looking at Alec. "I think that's three minutes don't you think?"

"What are you going to do?" The woman, Granger, asked.

"What I promised." Riley shrugged. "You were eavesdropping so you should know we planned a warning."

"Against whom?" The old man, Dumbledore, asked.

"You still not watched the news?" Riley sneered and nodded to Alec who grinned and pulled up the remote trigger and flipped and squeezed. There was an instants delay before there was a massive thud and a wave of air struck them all. The ground shook and dust sprung up the side of the building. Riley didn't have to look around to know it had worked as the floodlights all went dark as their generators exploded. Six of the buildings around the perimeter collapsed in on themselves and different trailers and trucks exploded. He wouldn't be surprised if people had been killed but they had to leave a message. They weren't going to keep playing the docile enemy. The humans had to know that they were dangerous.

"Why did you do that?" The other man, Lupin, gasped.

"To prove our point." Riley shrugged. "Now as you were saying..."

Dumbledore stared past him in the general direction of all of the smoke and the shouting people and then turned back to Riley. "We are here to ask you to come with us, to where you are truly needed. You should have been with us when you turned eleven but we can work around the delay."

"If I didn't know you were serious I'd think you were joking." Riley chuckled. "You can scrub that plan. It's not happening."

"What about your family?" Dumbledore tried. "This war cost them their lives. They should be avenged."

Riley blurred as he struck forwards and lifted Dumbledore up by the front of his robes. "My relatives sold me as nothing more than a slave!" He hissed, not really losing his temper but still annoyed that the man would sink to that level. "If that's really the best..."

He stopped talking as a tight and strong grip took hold of his wrist and he let Lupin pull him away from Dumbledore before he turned and held his wrist in front of him assessing the man's strength. He snorted in amusement and twisted, kicking up with his feet and flipping over to his left. He caught Lupin in the side of the head with his foot, twisted again and landed rather gracefully back on the roof as Lupin was sent into a wild spin until he hit the roof with a grunt of pain.

"How?" Granger gasped.

"Fucking watch the news!" Riley almost shouted before looking at Alec who was smirking openly at Riley's moves. "These guys are complete idiots!"

"Don't you care about dealing with the people that killed the last of your blood?" Granger asked in shock.

Alec lost his amused look in an instant and Riley turned cold eyes on the woman. "And who was that then?"

"Our enemy, Voldemort and his Death Eaters." Dumbledore told him.

"That would be a difficult thing to prove." Riley turned back to look at Alec with a reassuring look. "Perhaps our own introductions are in order. I am 862 and this is my best friend 494, the person that killed the Dursleys."

Granger and Dumbledore recoiled and Riley turned back to glare at them. "So your little ruse has backfired. I don't want revenge for the deaths of the relatives that sold me to the US government for experiments. What's your next plan because you're two down now. Kidnapping me didn't work and neither has trying to plead to my good side."

"We need help in our war." Lupin told Riley as he regained his footing. "I knew your parents and they wouldn't be pleased with what you are now. They'd want you to help to save our world."

"I have people to save already." Riley told them simply.

"They're not like you." Dumbledore pointed out. "We are your true kin."

"No, Dumbledore." Riley shook his head. "I told that Draco boy to learn what I was and clearly you've barely tried so I'll tell you. I'm not a human. I've been genetically altered to be faster and stronger than any of you, even your pet here. I think faster, I fight better and I'm never going to be a weapon for anyone again."

"It is your destiny to fight our war with us." Dumbledore told him. "A destiny set in place since before you were born."

"You honestly think I care?" Riley asked.

"Come with us, see the children you'll be protecting and maybe you'll change your mind." Dumbledore offered.

"No, thank you." Riley laughed. "I've seen all I need of you Wizards to have made up my mind permanently."

"Then you leave me no choice." He said and lashed out. Riley made to dodge but Alec moved faster, placing himself between Riley and the red ball of light that flew out of Dumbledore's hand. Alec continued the movement unaffected and ended up standing on Riley's other side.

"Nice try, Dumbledore." Alec sneered. "But even if Riley couldn't protect himself from you he has hundreds of people, his kin, that will fight with him. Don't start a war with us like the humans down there have because soon we'll have them beaten and if you've pissed us off by then we'll move onto you."

"This isn't your decision to make." Granger said simply.

Alec actually growled and leapt forwards, twisting around as he moved. He slammed a foot into Granger's chest sending her flying backwards, probably with broken ribs and then while still on the move grabbed Dumbledore around the chest and pinned him in place. Riley leapt into the brief fray when Lupin made to free the old man and grabbed him in a vice grip that found Lupin grunting with the effort he exerted against Riley's iron taut muscles.

"I think it's time we make our exit." Riley suggested. "The next time I see one of your guys, Dumbledore, I'm putting a bullet through him. Is that understood?" He asked as he backed both him and Lupin back towards the edge of the roof. He jerked his head at Alec as soon as the back of his heels were against the edge of the roof and Alec released Dumbledore and calmly walked over to stand next to him with his weapon raised and ready. The Granger girl pulled herself up into a rather painful looking seated position. "I'd suggest not doing anything or I take Lupin here over with me."

"Wait, Harry!" Dumbledore tried pleading.

"I've never been Harry." Riley spat and released Lupin and tipped himself backwards with his arms out to either side. He fell backwards with Alec diving down next to him and just saw Lupin and Dumbledore rush to look down after them before he twisted and with a thump landed smoothly on bent legs after a ten story fall. The two slipped into the darkness of a side alley before the Wizards could do anything and began moving to catch up with their kin.

Riley and Alec, because of their diversion arrived at the pickup point after everyone else had already loaded up into the fifteen trucks and were already on their way but two motorcycles were waiting for them as part of the fine points of the plan and they didn't waste any time loading onto them. They should have arrived to move out with the rest but the extra time talking and fighting with the Wizards had delayed them but it wouldn't be long before they caught up to the convoy as it moved southwest along the river to the airbase.

They overtook the convoy twenty miles outside of the city after travelling through the remains of the border station that sat five miles outside. The convoy had stopped out of sight and a small party had moved up and silently knocked out all the guards and tied them up. Unless somebody came this way before dawn there wasn't much chance of them being noticed. They pulled up in front and spotted Logan's car in the head and Riley pulled back to the passenger window as it rolled down and pulled off his helmet, steering the bike at ninety kmph with his legs and the helmet on the steering wheel.

"You're late!" Max yelled to him.

"A few Wizards were waiting for us on the roof." Riley told her simply. "Even introduced themselves."

"What happened?" She asked in concern.

"They tried to plead to my good nature." Riley told her without emotion making her frown. "And used avenging my dead relatives as their bargaining chip. They didn't realise who Alec was."

Max winced. "They still alive?" She asked.

"Alec broke the woman's ribs." He shrugged and then smirked. "And showed their leader that at least Alec is immune to their magic."

He pulled away from the car after that and pulled his helmet on before speeding up after Alec and enjoyed the hour it took them to cover the rest of the distance. All of their scenarios concluded that the humans would be too busy rushing around to care about them until they were safely in the middle of their next plan. They wouldn't know it was all a diversion for another thirty-five minutes and it would take time after that for them to come up with the idea that it had been an escape plan and then more time to move teams into place to search Terminal City and even more time after that to work out how they'd escaped and where they'd gone. With any luck they'd hear of the capture of the ships before they worked out how they'd gotten out without being seen.

Alec waved his hand at Riley to remind him of the time when the clock counted down to zero and he imagined that the humans were either dying of relief or wondering what would happen next. It was possible that Clemente actually took Riley seriously and withdrew the siege which would give them even more time to enact their plan.

They left the trucks with their drivers about ten miles away from the air base and most of them continued on foot. The trucks would follow right into the base once it was in their hands but the important thing was to get the helicopters under their control without word getting out. For once Riley and his family were held back from the main insurgency and followed into the base with the trucks once the guards and communications had been neutralised. The trucks went straight to the helicopters and since it was his plan Riley was amongst the first team to go. They had already changed while waiting for the first team to take control of the base and they were soon airborne, exactly on time. Being ahead of time was just as bad in their books as being behind time since it added another variable to the mix and two hours since the start of the operation when the Transgenics had first started evacuating Terminal City the first team of one hundred X-series were in the air heading for the known location of the USMC Barricade, flying just above the tips of the waves on a new moon without any light but their own laser illuminator to fly by but even that would be turned off as they approached the ships.

It was only a thirty minute flight skimming the waves until their pilot, an X-6 of only fourteen years called Riley on the headset. _"Bossman, we've got nav lights right where you said."_

Riley twisted on the ground where he and nineteen others crouched on the deck of the helicopter and looked over the shoulder of the Transgenic pilot. "Take us in nice and low, just pause for five seconds over the deck then get the hell out of dodge and back to the base. I want reinforcements as fast as possible."

"_Roger bossman."_ The boy told him. _"Coming up fast, better open the doors. Ten foot off the bridge top do it?"_

"Perfect." Riley told him simply and signalled to the others. Four moved and opened the large side doors and instantly the cab was filled with the sound of rotor blades and howling winds.

Riley moved to the edge and prepared to drop down. "You all know you're jobs. Don't wait to be told, hit the deck running and get your objectives done. Zero casualties if we can help it but if bullets start flying then give as good as you get."

He received confirmations from a couple and glanced at Krit with a smile before pulling his combat hood over his head and perching on the edge. Alec was in another plane with Sly ready to hit the foc'sle while Max and Zack were in one of the other helicopters. His friends were scattered around evenly and even though it had only been a couple of days they were starting to really mix in with the others, even their own series.

The hard deck of the ship sprung up underneath them out of the darkness and they all flexed their legs as the helicopter rolled to a stop directly over the bridge and almost at once all eighteen of them dropped from the sides, falling around the aerials, radars and satellites on the top of the bridge and landing silently on the hard metal deck. The helicopter hovered for another second before banking away and vanishing into the darkness, audible for a few seconds after they lost it from sight.

Riley focused for a moment even as the rest of his team sprinted across the top of the bridge and accommodation to their entry points. "All units, large clusters central in accommodation. Most seem spread out in cabins. I count eight in the main hanger, four on the bridge."

"_Entering bridge now."_ A voice told him and Riley started moving again. The bridge and the radio room were the most important places to hit and the teams going for them had barely paused in their landing before going. The bridge crew almost definitely heard the helicopters and even if they were the only ones it wouldn't take them long to radio for help. Riley was dropping down onto the bridge wing when the same voice cut in again. _"Bridge crew neutralised."_

"_Radio room neutralised." _Another voice announced.

Riley opened the door to the side of the bridge and walked in with Krit behind him. There were two Transgenics already in the room, two X-5s that Riley knew were good. They didn't react to Riley's attention, only watched the four members of the Bridge team. More than they'd assumed. Normally an Officer of the Watch, a quartermaster and a lookout was normal but they had their tactical communications manned as well. That person was unconscious in his chair. Obviously the two before Riley had decided to merely knock him out rather than risk him hitting the GMDSS emergency signal or something similar.

Riley walked to the WECDIS terminal that showed them the electronic charts but most importantly the sectors outlined over the top and the ship's position as well as the positions of the radar contacts that were the Ticonderoga, Arleigh Burke and Oliver Hazard Perry, all in their sectors. Riley eyed the sector they were in but decided to leave the ship as it was for the time being.

Riley and the three others merely waited on the bridge as the teams of two moved through the ship, hunting out and clearing sections with Riley's assistance now and then. The primary team were all X-5s purely so that Riley couldn't sense them, so anyone that Riley could see was a human and that suited Riley fine in guiding their guys to the right places. It wasn't until almost fifteen minutes after their boarding that somebody raised an alarm and the fire alarm rang out through the ship.

Riley turned to the officer who was merely standing quietly since none of them had said a word to him or the two conscious crewmen. "Clear the alarm." Riley told him.

"I'm not allowed to do that." The officer told him. "All alarms have to be investigated."

Riley snorted at the man's fearless attitude. "Units investigate fire alarm triggered..." He paused to look at the fire panel. "Zone 2, compartment 2-golf-04."

"_All clear, crewman hit the alarm. His out for the count."_ Riley pressed the button on his actual radio so that the officer could hear the words and then merely raised an eyebrow at him. The officer actually rolled his eyes but hit the silence button on the fire panel and then the clear button.

"_We have the Captain."_ A voice told him. _"Bringing him up now."_

Thirty seconds later two of their guys walked onto the bridge with a restrained naval officer in tow. "Don't just stand there, Coombs, do something." The man ordered the Officer of the Watch.

"There wasn't anything we could do, sir." Coombs told him. "They flew in low, hovered for only a second. By the time I made it to the comms panel to call action stations I had a gun pointed at my head."

The captain made to say something but Riley had had enough. If he was the sort of Captain that was going to tell one of his junior officers that he should have given his life to raise the alarm then he didn't care for any further contributions from him. "Close your mouth." Riley told him simply. "This vessel now belongs to the Transgenic nation. If you remain peaceful then in due course you will be lowered into your liferafts and permitted to leave to safety. If you try to fight us any further then you will be thrown over the side. The water is cold and the human survival time is approximately ten minutes."

"Why you little...!" The captain started. "This is a US Navy vessel. You can't just think you can waltz on board and take control of it."

"For starters I wouldn't say we merely waltzed on board, we took over a military airbase and flew six Osprey over your deck and put one hundred men on board who at this moment are overcoming your compliment of one hundred and thirty without trouble." Krit told him. "Secondly we have the expertise to navigate and sail this vessel without your assistance."

"There are three warships within five miles of us." Coombs pointed out and Riley studied him for a moment and saw the slight twitch of his features. The man was actually _trying_ to help them out.

"We are aware they are there." Riley shrugged. "They are not aware of us as of yet by the looks of your radars and the radios are silent. Now, if you would, kindly order your crew to muster on the flight deck."

"I'll do nothing of the kind." The Captain glared. Riley walked over to him and hit him on the side of the head, knocking him clean out.

"Useless." Riley shook his head ignoring the cough from Coombs. "I suppose now we just wait."

"Have you killed any of the crew?" Coombs asked him bluntly five minutes later where the six Transgenics on the bridge stood in silence while the two crewmen sat or stood nervously.

Riley turned to him before touching his press-to-talk button. "Have any units taken fatal action?" Riley asked but got a few moments of silence in return. "Confirmed, no fatalities. Start rounding them up in the dorms." He ordered before raising an eyebrow at Coombs. "Happy?"

"Delighted." Coombs told him stoically. "What are you going to do with us? If you can operate the ship without us like you say? Are you going to put us in life rafts?"

"That's the plan." Riley nodded. "Not until we have control of the other ships though."

"Are you crazy?" Coombs asked. "How do you plan on getting over there? They're not just going to come alongside if you ask nicely."

"Who said anything about them coming alongside?" Riley asked. "Just keep quiet. You're going to remain up here until I'm satisfied to operate any machinery we don't have the time to work out."

Riley turned to look out of the window and closed his eyes, spreading out his senses. He could see the humans being grouped up around and below him and he watched to see if there were any that weren't heading for the dorms down in the bottom of the ship where soldiers stayed when they were embarked. It was the easiest place to put them all and guard them easily. The ship had a capacity for a thousand like that and with each of the other ships having two hundred or three hundred in the case of the Ticonderoga that meant they could all be put down there eventually if they decided not to put them in life rafts.

Riley led their guys to a couple of groups of humans that had tried to hide and almost forty-five minutes after first boarding all of the humans were safely locked in the dorms, including the Captain and the unconscious radio man from the bridge. It wasn't much past the hour when the X-5 standing in the doorway whistled at Riley and nodded. Riley walked to the side window and noted Coombs' presence as he came to look out of the window trying to see what Riley could now hear. Without much warning a thud of air hit the bridge windows and Coombs jerked back as an Osprey thundered across the deck and came to hover over the foc'sle. Although Coombs didn't know it there were two more hovering over the superstructure and another four coming into place two at a time over the flight deck and soon another hundred Transgenics were on the deck being met by their comrades. Riley concentrated for a moment even as the Osprey he could see banked away and back out towards the coast line.

His senses told him that almost eighty people had just joined the ship and Riley nodded to the others before turning to Coombs when he spoke. "How many more just boarded?"

"About a hundred." Riley told him. Coombs swallowed. "It's time for you to go down with the rest of your crew."

Coombs glanced at the quarter master and the lookout and nodded. Riley jerked his head and the two guys stood up without a word and let themselves be escorted out by the two that had originally taken the bridge. As soon as they were gone one of the guys that had brought up the Captain moved towards Coombs to escort him out.

"You know I'm not against you or anything." Coombs told him. "I..."

"You what?" Riley asked.

Coombs bit his lip. "Do you know a girl called Hannah Warner?" He asked eventually.

"No, I don't." Riley told him with a frown even as his eyes spotted Krit tense up and move forwards.

"What does that matter?" Krit asked.

"Do you know her?" Coombs asked.

"Answer the fucking question." Krit hissed and Riley was instantly concerned. He'd never seen Krit so defensive before.

"I knew her." Coombs told him. "We were kids and she had this foster family that treated her real bad and we'd always hide out together because my father was a drunk bastard. One day my father found us and Hannah beat him up and then told me that she was something called an X-5 but that she'd escaped. I left for the Navy when I was eighteen and I never saw her again."

Krit moved to Riley's shoulder. "Mate, he's talking about Sly. Her foster family when she was twelve treated her pretty bad." Krit told him so that Coombs couldn't hear. "She never mentioned this guy but she told me all about it. She left when she was sixteen as far as I know."

"How old are you?" Riley asked Coombs.

"Twenty-four." Coombs frowned. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Krit." Riley nodded and Krit nodded back and headed to the other side of the bridge. Riley heard him call Sly on the radio and ask her to come up to them but Coombs didn't hear them. "If we do know her, what are you doing to do?" Riley asked.

A glimmer of hope appeared in Coombs' eyes and Riley assessed the truth there. "I'll help you. I owe her that much, she saved me from my family when I was a kid. And I don't believe in all that crap the news is spouting."

"You realise that we intend to capture and hold four US Navy vessels?" Riley checked. "And that if they find out you're helping us you'll be convicted on the spot and they'll probably want you dead as much as us?"

"For four years between the age of fourteen and eighteen the only reason I survived was because of one of you." Coombs told him simply. "I won't ignore that."

"At least there's some hope for you humans after all." Riley chuckled in dead amusement.

"You'd be surprised how many of us military guys think that it's wrong what they're doing to you all." Coombs told him. "You're like us in a way. Trained to fight for your country and we realise how we'd feel if the government just tried to exterminate us all."

"At least you weren't created in test tubes by them too." Riley shrugged.

"But my father created me and then couldn't get rid of me fast enough." Coombs pointed out.

Riley actually laughed properly but was interrupted as he spied Sly come through the curtain that cut off the light to the bridge. "What's the matter, Riley?" She asked him.

"Does the name Coombs ring a bell?" Riley asked and saw her frown at him regardless of the darkness.

"It does." She turned to look at Krit who stood motionless. "What of it?"

Riley jerked his head at the human standing next to him and even though Coombs' eyes couldn't make out her features he knew the moment that Sly recognised him in the dark and saw her eyes widen in surprise. "Iain?" She asked.

"Hannah?" Coombs asked.

"Technically it's Sly." She told him. Riley saw Coombs scramble for a torch attached to his waist and he averted his eyes as light sprayed through the bridge and hit Sly in the face and an instant later Coombs gasped and grabbed at Sly.

Riley chuckled and moved over to Krit. "Perhaps it's a small world after all." Riley lightly socked him in the stomach and Krit followed him across to the other side of the bridge to listen to reports over the radio and to get everyone in place as the helicopters in the main hanger were being brought out onto deck ready for phase two of their operation.

It was thirty minutes later when everything was ready for the next stage including attack groups in the other ships. Riley would head across on one of the helicopters heading for the Ticonderoga once the attack began and except for the one hundred of them spread out into four lifeboats they also had four helicopters waiting on the flight deck ready to launch at a moment's notice, each with fifteen Transgenics in them. Riley would head down there as soon as the first part of phase two begun.

Riley turned to Coombs who nodded back to say he was ready. Sly and Coombs had been talking almost non-stop since being reunited and it was warming for Riley to see their friendship rekindled even if the odds against their reunion were rather high. These things did happen on occasion though. "Do it." Riley nodded.

"Tango Golf, this is Warship seven-oh-seven." Coombs spoke into the radio clearly and with a touch of worry to his voice that was clearly put on. "We have a ship emergency. Fires reported in the diesel generator rooms. Reducing speed. Request assistance." Coombs moved to the centre line and pulled back on both of the levers and just as planned a moment later the ship's power vanished, plunging all of the consoles into darkness and killing the half spoken response from the Ticonderoga. It took a moment but eventually minimal power came all as the emergency generator came online but that didn't help the propulsion which had died along with the power and steering. As the power came off so rapidly along with the autopilot the stern wave stuck the bow and gently nudged the ship's bow down into the water and to port and she slowly began to turn even as she rapidly slowed down.

"_Warship seven-oh-seven, please respond."_ A voice called a moment after the radio came back up on battery power alone.

Coombs moved to it and pressed the talk button. "This is warship seven-oh-seven. We have lost main power and are running on backup power. Fixed fire fighting systems are unresponsive."

"You just felt an explosion." Riley reminded.

"Tango-golf, warship seven-oh-seven." Coombs' acting was quite good since he managed to actually sound shaken. "We're feeling explosions. We can't contain the fire, it's spreading through the engineering spaces."

"_Warship seven-oh-seven. We are closing on your position to assist."_ A voice told them.

"Tango-golf, we're going to lifeboat stations, we can't hold back the fires. It won't be long until they reach the fuel lines. Standby to pick up lifeboats." Coombs spoke into the radio hastily before reaching for the right alarm and triggered the automated internal signal that blared the international code through the inside of the ship and over the radio until Coombs let go of the button. "One last thing." Coombs told Riley as he cross the consoles to the ship's main whistle and set about delivering the same signal to the outside world. Seven short blasts followed by one long one."

"Give them five minutes and then order the boats down." Riley told Krit. "I'm going to head down to the choppers."

Krit nodded before moving across to stand where Riley was standing even as Sly slapped her old friend on the back and grinned at him. "Good work, Coombs." Riley nodded to him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Riley dropped from the helicopter as it slowed to a relative halt over the bridge of the Ticonderoga and was moving instantly as well as the other twelve in his group and began moving through the ship heading for the bridge as fast as they could. The four lifeboats had been picked up by the other ships, one by the Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke each and the last two by the Oliver Hazard Perry. Riley had launched the four helicopters, two to each of the larger ships leaving the forty five Transgenics to cope with the two hundred crew of the Perry class Frigate knowing they wouldn't have too much trouble and they'd flown in to help with the large ships. Krit, on the assault ship, would take in the report of the individual attacks and reroute the incoming wave of helicopters to where they were needed the most and they were due in only five minutes time. Already it had been almost two hours since they'd first boarded the assault ship but they were still running on schedule and with Coombs helping them they had an unforeseen advantage.

Riley opened the bridge wing door and let two of his guys sprint into the room. There was a brief fight as they found two guys with pistols and a single shot was fired at Riley as he entered right behind them. He dodged the shot, darted forward and knocked out one of the guys with a pistol and then watched as the other guy was knocked out as well.

There was a brief scuffle as the bridge crew put up some resistance and in the end they all had to be restrained. Clearly word had reached the bridge that the twenty-five survivors from the lifeboats had turned on the crew.

"_Bridge! This is the MCR! They're breaking through the door!"_ There was a scuffle on the other end of the box before the man released his finger. Riley gave them a moment before pressing the button himself.

"MCR, this is the Bridge. Tac-seven." He said simply.

"_Confirmed, Tac-one-two." _A voice told him in response using their own codes for success in taking control of the machinery spaces which on any ship could take control away from the bridge.

Riley moved to another microphone and after looking at the system selected all areas and pushed the button. "USS Ticonderoga, this is Faedren of the Transgenic nation. We now control the USMC Barricade and the Bridge and MCR of your own vessel. We are also in the process of taking control of the USS Mitscher and USS Perry. We do not wish for casualties, surrender yourselves and you will be unharmed. To indicate surrender move to the centre of your compartment and kneel with your hands on the back of your head."

Riley released the button and turned to one of the three guarding the bridge. "Why don't you let Krit know we have the bridge and MCR?" Riley suggested and got a nod in return before the X-6 he'd spoken to picked up an Aldis lamp and headed out onto the bridge wing to send the message.

Ten minutes later the guy came back inside and walked straight up to Riley. "The Bridges and MCRs of the Mitscher and Perry are under our control. The helos are coming in now. Three to us, two to each of the others. The helos from the Barricade are on their way to shore to pick up anything we left."

"So that's three hundred and thirty of us over here and two hundred left." Riley nodded just as a helo flew across the bridge and settled into a hover over the foc'sle and quickly disbursed twenty Transgenics which quickly vanished off the open deck and into the structure before disappearing again. Riley sighed with relief, they'd done it. All they needed to do now was work out the logistics of securing almost a thousand sailors until it was light enough to put them in their own life rafts and then set sail for the safety of the open ocean.

"At least we're not on US soil anymore." The X-6 told him. "Thanks man." Riley looked at him and couldn't resist reaching out and ruffling the fourteen year old's hair with a laugh.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	19. High Seas

Twisted Experimentation

Chapter 19; High Seas

**USS Anchorage – Early morning**

Riley stood with his elbows on the forward sill of the bridge looking out at the rising sun and the USS Normandy, the Ticonderoga class cruiser, which sat about a mile out on their starboard bow. Riley twisted his head to look at the USS Nicolas, the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate sitting a mile out on their port beam. The Arleigh Burke Destroyer, USS Farragut, sat three miles to their stern, between them and the western seaboard of the United States as they slowly opened the distance from land.

Riley had returned to the San Antonio class transport dock during the night since it was the best for organising things from and for some unknown reason he and Max had been unanimously placed in charge of their little fleet. Sly was standing beside him and had been for almost twenty minutes but neither have said a word to each other because they knew what the topic would be and Sly was avoiding it. The problem was that their guys below were already preparing to rid themselves of their hostages and the matter would have to be raised. He turned his head to the right and looked at her and she huffed and looked back at him.

"Does he stay or does he go?" Riley asked gently.

"Life was tough out here, Riley. He was my best friend. Like a brother to me." Sly sighed and winced when her words hurt Riley. Riley didn't move but she knew it had stung. "I know we could have done better by you, Riley, but we didn't have a choice and Iain didn't know what I was hiding."

"So...?" Riley asked, prompting her onwards.

"He reminded me of you." She sighed. "Fiercely protective and loyal."

"You didn't need some guy jumping into a fight to protect the damsel in distress, Sly." He pointed out. "In reality it would have made more sense the other way around."

"Just because somebody doesn't need to jump in front of a bullet doesn't make it any less noble when they do." She pointed out. "He was there for me when nobody else was bothered to even look at me. I didn't want to kill or even fight and he moved in to fill a void. He became the protective brother that we all.... that I.... lost when we abandoned you back there."

"So you want him to stay?" He asked.

"I want to give him the choice." She told him. "Between staying here where his actions are right and mean something or going back to his military to become just another tool in the system that created and toiled with us."

"You sound like a poet." Riley laughed. "You're supposed to be a warrior."

"I can be both!" She huffed.

"Can we really trust him?" Riley asked. Granted he had trusted the man so far but he wanted her words not his own thoughts.

"He's known since he was seventeen what I was." She pointed out. "That's seven years and he's never said a word to anyone."

Riley shrugged. "I'll ask him what he wants to do. If he wants to go back with them I'll deck him and chuck him in the boat myself." Sly rolled her eyes but knew that he would to protect him from accusations later. Riley left her on the bridge knowing that he didn't want her around to influence the guy's decision and headed down to the embarkation deck where the liferafts were being prepared and the prisoners being brought up.

Iain Coombs, one of the Watch Officers on board, had done a lot to help them smooth over the first few hours of their takeover of this four ship fleet and he'd gone out of his way to trick his own opposites on the other ships into believing there was nothing wrong other than a complete abandon ship. He'd been taken down to get some sleep in his own cabin and two X-6s had dragged him out of bed this morning, waited with him and then dragged him down to the Flight deck which was empty since the liferafts would launch from a deck closer to midships.

Riley didn't have to wait long for the human to arrive looking a little tired after only a few hours of sleep and after following two hyperactive fourteen year olds. "These two are monsters, you know?" Iain asked him just as the ship began a hard turn to port. Iain looked around at the other ships to see them doing similar manoeuvres and he nodded to show he knew what was happening. "Are you going to kick me off too?"

Riley waved to the two X-6s and they grinned and jogged back inside their new ship like it was a toy. Riley waved to Iain and turned to walk up the flight deck towards the back of the Flight deck. Riley wasn't bothered by the heeling deck and Iain was well practiced and was soon walking next to him. "Where's Sly?" Iain asked as they paused at the back.

Riley laughed. "You think I'd chuck you off the back of the ship?" He asked. "And that I'd be worried about Sly trying to stop me?"

"It occurred to me." Iain tried to laugh in amusement as they completed their turn and the power came off, settling the ship so that the smooth sea it had just created was in its lee. That way the human sailors in the liferafts could have calm water to lash their rafts together.

"Sly was like a sister to me for the first ten years of my life." Riley told Iain. "She left me in that place when she escaped."

"And you'd kill me as payback?" Iain joked still sounding nervous.

"I'm not going to kill you, Iain." Riley shook his head. "But you deserve a proper choice. Your crew is being loaded into the liferafts and so is the crews of the other three ships. Once that's done we'll drop the emergency transponders and turn back westwards. They'll be picked up soon enough. Nobody needs get hurt. If you want out of this now then you merely have to say. I'll give you a bloody lip and a black eye but they'll be none the wiser that you helped us on your own accord."

"That would hurt." Iain pouted in amusement. "What's my other choice?"

"You stay in this all the way." Riley stated simply. "But there's no going back. You have already committed treason for Sly and the rest of us but after this moment it'll come out to the world. We don't know where we'll end up after this. We're going to play it by ear for the time being and see what unfurls for us. Do you want in on that or do you want some of your old life back?"

"My old life?" Iain laughed but there was no amusement in his eyes. "Apart from the Navy I have no current life and my old life consisted of getting beat up once a week when my father got drunk. The only good things I've had in my life was somebody that used to hide with me in the dark and let me protect her. She made me feel like I had a purpose. I get the irony now that she didn't need my protection but she gave me the hope that I could be something other than a bastard's punching bag."

"So you're opting away from me punching you?" Riley asked with a straight face and Iain nodded hastily. Riley put on a disappointed look that made Iain laugh. Riley put a hand on his shoulder and turned them back towards the superstructure of the ship. "You're a good guy, Iain. I'm glad she found you in this world."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

They'd been lucky in that they'd gotten out of range of the land before the humans had collected themselves and found out what had happened and a plan had formed for the most part. They would head southwest by the shortest course and pass south of Australia and into the Indian Ocean where they would reassess their needs, possibly collecting supplies from an African, Asian or Australasian country depending on their needs and what happened over the next month as they travelled the several thousand miles.

Each of the four ships had designated watch officers for the bridge and Iain had been given operational command of the ships since he was the best qualified for it. Iain had been nervous when Riley had announced that over the radio and Iain had given his first orders for formations and courses but the amused and delighted responses that he always got from the other ships soon calmed him down. The thing he quickly learnt about the Transgenics was that they didn't really mind humans as long as the humans weren't trying to kill them. Iain quickly showed that he knew what he was doing and so the Transgenics were eager to learn from him in the same way they adapted to every new environment.

There was room on all four ships for the five hundred and thirty two Transgenics and two humans to live comfortably and very few even had to share although almost a third ended up sharing purely because they wanted to. Alec and Riley obviously did. The two spent most of their time on the bridge or operations room of the USS Anchorage and had taken over the Commanding Officer; Embarked Military Force's cabin. It wasn't by choice but the group of Transgenics that had been given the task of assigning cabins had led the two there, smirked at them and left, shutting the door behind them. Clearly Alec and Riley's relationship was of great interest to everyone since the room was one of the few on the ship with a double bed.

Max and Logan got given the Commodore's cabins since that relationship seemed to amuse people too and the rest had been given out. It was soon evident that Transgenics were observant enough that couples got placed together even without having to request it.

As Alec and Riley lay side by side in bed together on the third morning of their time at sea they merely touched each other gently and focused on the roll and pitch of the ship as it heaved in the growing swell of the Pacific Ocean. "Did we really do it, Riley?" Alec whispered into his lover's ear.

"I hope so, love." Riley turned to look at him and didn't have to wait long before Alec was kissing him lovingly.

"I don't think we would have gotten here without you." Alec told him. "You've always had a way of coming up with weird yet successful plans that nobody else could dream up. Everyone knows it you know, that's why they like having you in command."

"I don't need to be in command." Riley complained. "As long as I have you in my arms and a future I'll gladly go drive the trucks on the vehicle deck." To emphasise his words he pulled Alec on top of him and quickly felt Alec's body waking up to the feel of Riley's own awakened body. Alec grinned and pulled Riley's hand down towards his own entrance with a hungry look in his eyes. Riley kissed him and gave his lover what he was asking for and soon Alex was doing all of the work as he rode Riley into oblivion to start another day.

Almost forty-five minutes later Riley was leaning in the corner of the shower that was only just large enough for the two to shower together. Riley wasn't really showering though. Alec had washed Riley and then Riley leant on the plastic wall under the shower head as Alec washed himself only inches from his body, tracing Riley's muscle with passing touches every now and again as Riley withdrew into himself. Or at least he seemed to withdraw into himself when actually he was reaching out to everything around him. He'd always done it in the city to check for disturbances and it was habit more than anything else out here yet it was like stretching to Riley. He'd done it at Manticore too except back then the two hadn't been touching each other at every opportunity.

Riley's eyes went wide all of a sudden and his hands snapped out just as Alec was about to try to awaken Riley's cock once more. Alec looked shocked but then frowned at the look of concern on Riley's face. "End of play time then?" Alec pouted. Riley smiled sadly and quickly kissed him.

"Hurry and finish up. We've got a serious problem." Riley told him and slipped around him and out into the room as he grabbed a towel to dry himself off. He heard Alec rinsing soap off of his body and follow him out and he handed him the towel as he pulled up underwear and then his 'combat' jeans. He picked the phone up and dialled the number for the bridge. It was quickly answered by Krit who had taken one of the watch shifts.

"Krit, can you pipe for Iain and Max to meet me on the bridge deck top immediately?" He asked, ignoring Alec's confusion. He got a quick agreement and hung up and dressed quickly. Alec didn't take much longer and the two dashed up to the top of the ship, cutting through the bridge on the way even as they met Max and Logan heading the same way in answer to the pipe.

They walked out together and Riley moved to the railing that looked over the starboard side. He could see their frigate, the USS Nicolas, a couple of miles right on their beam and their destroyer, USS Farragut, trailing behind them at a safe distance but what drew Riley's attention was further away between the two of them. Iain scuffed noisily across the deck as he appeared and Riley turned to look at the poor human. Sly looked far more awake at his side but he was barely dressed properly. He spared a moment to grin at the two knowing, like the rest of the ship did, that they were sharing Iain's cabin.

"What's up, Riley?" Iain asked. They'd become fast friends and Riley didn't begrudge the friendship like he might have done a few years ago.

"What would you say if I told you there was a submarine about six miles in that direction?" Riley asked pointing off the starboard quarter.

"I'd say 'shit'." Iain told him and then saw the looks the others were giving Riley. "Uh... you're serious?"

"I can sense about one hundred people about two hundred metres below the surface six miles that way." Riley told him in all seriousness. "Unless people can swim like that..."

"Sense?" Iain asked.

"Just trust him at the moment, Iain." Sly grabbed his hands. "I'll explain later but it's complicated."

"What do we do?" Riley asked letting the one with actual submarine experience take control.

Iain paused for a moment and tapped the fingers of his right hand against his uniform trousers. "Threat or not we do the same thing." Iain announced. "Quietly put everyone on alert and spread the news to the other ships to do the same. Man the Nicolas' Seasprite and get it in the air over the top with active sonar."

"Sly." Riley ordered and she nodded and sprinted up into the bridge and soon the word was being spread down through the ship by word of mouth. They didn't want to be blaring pipes if a submarine was that close that they would hear it through the water. "Who could it be?"

"Out here?" Iain frowned. "US, Russian or possibly British."

"Okay, so if they're US what's the threat?" Riley pressed.

"We haven't been able to fully arm a US attack submarine since the EMP burst." Iain shook his head. "Worst case they have a few missiles and torpedoes and maybe half their crew. You saw how short we were and we were being moved into an actual wartime operation."

"So it would just be tracking us?" Logan concluded.

"Probably." Iain nodded. "The same if it's Russian. After the burst they got cocky and didn't like the Brits taking over global affairs and the Russians and Brits got angry at one another. Or rather the Russians did and the Brits shot them down. The Russians patrol their own waters now and occasionally they send something to wind up the Brits."

"So again, probably not a threat and probably not them either." Riley nodded. "And the Brits?"

"Could be a problem." Iain nodded. "I'm leaning towards them. We know they have subs in this area and they would have sent something to take a look at Seattle when this kicked off. When you say 'sense' how accurate do you mean?"

"Pretty accurate." Riley nodded. "High definition I suppose but distances can be a bit tricky if I have nothing to base it off of."

"Okay, are they closely packed together or spread out?" Iain asked. "Can you guess at the length of the sub?"

"I'd guess at around a hundred metres or so." Riley told him. "Conning tower about a third of the way back."

"A ballistic sub would be longer than that and about a quarter again the crew." Iain nodded. "Definitely an attack submarine."

"And if it is an attack submarine could it hurt us?" Riley asked.

"Seriously hurt us, especially that close." Iain nodded. "And I'm thinking it's an Astute class by the description so only the Farragut could outrun it for any length of time."

"I think we're past trying to outrun it." Max spoke up for the first time. "What do you want to do?"

"Regardless of which nationality it is if it was going to attack it would have done during the night hours." Iain told them. "Is it still relatively in exactly the same place?"

"Exactly." Riley nodded. "It's monitoring us?"

"Yeah." Iain nodded. "Ping it with the helicopter to let it know we know it's there and run the Farragut and Nicolas right at it. Force it to react so your guys in the sonar suite can find out exactly what it is. Perhaps if it is Brit it'll tell us something."

"What do you think the Brits are thinking about us?" Riley asked.

"Two possibilities." Iain sighed. "One means we're alright, the other means we're screwed."

"Let's go for the nice news first." Alec suggested.

"They're willing to listen to us and we can claim amnesty. The Brits took over world safety after the EMP burst, they now have a GNP three times that of the USA at its height. All trade and world decisions goes through Britain. It's navy could protect us completely from anything the USA tries to do to reclaim or kill you all. They'd definitely want to talk to you about it." Iain explained and then sighed. "Or there's the dark and dreary bit that we've just taken over a small fleet of ships like pirates. The Brits wiped out piracy completely six years ago and they might take us as a security risk and blow us out of the water to stay friends with the US and protect themselves in case you try to shoot at one of their protectorates."

"Nice." Riley huffed. "Either way we go with your plan."

"We'll do it from the bridge." Iain declared.

"It won't hurt to quietly tell everyone the situation." Riley told Alec who nodded and moved to the piping system and while they prepared he told the other ships and their own crew what was happening in a quieter than usual voice.

Riley watched as the Seasprite leapt up from the Nicolas and Riley guided it into a position right over the submarine with the aircraft radio as Iain liaised with the other ships telling them what to do. Riley nodded to him when the Seasprite was ready and Iain nodded back.

"Tac 4-alpha, commence active sonar sweep. One ping then relocate." Riley ordered. Tac 4 was the Nicolas and the 'alpha' was whatever was running out from the ship.

_"Tac 1, commencing sweep."_ The pilot declared and Riley's keen eyes saw the sonar wire drop down from the hovering helicopter and dip into the sea. A second later the feed from the operations room pinged as the active sonar's pulse hit their own hull. _"Contact confirmed, two hundred metres deep, relocating."_ The helicopter pulled up, pulling the sonar out of the water and then swung wide in case the submarine tried to lock onto it and destroy it with a missile.

"Tac 3 and 4, close on target." Iain ordered over the radio and Krit took control of their own ship and increased speed and turned to put the submarine directly on their own stern as the USS Normandy, their cruiser, cut across their stern and the two ships resumed their course but with the faster cruiser between them and the submarine in case a torpedo went into the water.

"Ops room, bridge." The feed came alive. "The submarine has increased speed, the Nicolas and Farragut have it on active sonar and are tracking it heading out away from them."

"Well it didn't fire." Riley pointed out to Iain who nodded back.

"Computer says manoeuvring abilities match British Astute Class nuclear attack submarine." The operations room reported before falling silent again.

"So the British are watching us but don't want to start a fight?" Riley decided. "How about we ask them to talk?"

Iain nodded and moved to the radio. "Tac 3." He called the Farragut. "Lay yourself three hundred metres off of the starboard beam of the sub and ping them once every twenty seconds."

He got confirmation and the Farragut pulled around the invisible submarine that only Riley could sense and then slowed to twenty-five knots to match the submarine which was impressive since the Anchorage could only do twenty-two knots at full speed.

Riley moved to the radio to talk to Zack who had been given command of the Arleigh Burke Destroyer. "Zack? Use the sonar mike to say hello. Nicely. Tell them we're interested in talking to them about this situation."

_"And if they're not inclined be polite back?"_ Zack asked.

"Then explain to them what we are and that we're not inclined to let a wolf run around our flock unwatched." Riley told him darkly and glanced at Iain's frown with a sigh of his own. "Be nice though, Zack."

_"Yeah yeah."_ Zack grumbled back.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two hours later**

Zack's 'phone call' had concluded with HMS Ambush coming up to a shallow depth just enough for its low frequency antenna to send an encrypted burst of information and then did so again to receive a similar burst of information not thirty minutes later. Knowing that they were asking for orders for this situation Riley let them have the time. Surfacing a submarine like Riley wanted them to do wasn't something any submarine captain could do on his own back.

Clearly their response had been favourable to the Transgenics though as the submarine had remained at a depth of fifty metre's from the conning tower to the surface and altered course towards their command ship on a slowly closing vector so as not to be observed as a possible attack. Now Riley stood with Iain and Alex and his eyes could easily see through the intervening water to the black hull of the world's most advanced attack submarine. His sense told him it was there easily enough but in these waters it was actually visible to the Transgenics if not Logan and Iain.

The Farragut slid away and the three escorts returned to similar positions to the last few days and slowly the black submarine raised itself up towards the surface. First the conning tower and then the tip of its tail fin and only briefly afterwards it's long hull broke through the waves and it stopped rising. Only half the length of the USS Anchorage yet still one of the most powerful warships ever created, capable of destroying any type of target at sea or over it. It made Iain nervous but he was a lot calmer with it on the surface then he had been for the last few hours.

Riley gripped Iain's shoulder and smiled at him gently. "Eventually something goes right." Riley laughed at Iain's stricken look just as the hatch on the conning tower opened and first one and then another figure emerged onto the wet conning point. It really wasn't designed to be conned from there and really there was just a single area around the hatch for a lookout to stand when it had to sit on the surface. The lookout raised an SA-80 over his head and held up the florescent line attached to it.

"I imagine a telephone line." Iain spoke up and waved an arm over his head to get the lookout's attention and pointed down under the bridge and onto the forecastle. Iain had already predicted this and there were a couple of guys waiting there. Iain assessed the distance and pressed a button on the conning box on the bridge outer wall. "Pull down the revs a little for twenty seconds then back up to the same."

Riley's sensitive ears heard the slight change in the revs deep below them and for twenty seconds the submarine gained distance on them. The lookout spoke into a microphone fixed to his ear and then waited patiently until the Anchorage sped back up to match the submarine's speed. The lookout took aim and fired forwards and his shot flew right out across the bow where their Transgenics grabbed the line and began setting up the telephone wire. Iain went about bringing them back so that the conning tower and the bridge were aligned better again talking about bow waves and intersection of something or other that Riley didn't really pay attention to.

Inside the bridge again they waited for the telephone to be set up and be tested before a voice came across addressing them all. "My name is Captain John Killen of the British Submarine HMS Ambush. Is there someone there who I can address by name?"

"Polite way to say it I suppose." Riley shrugged and looked at Max who looked at him, making Logan, Alec, Iain and Krit laugh at them. "Me?" Riley asked. "It's your movement."

"It's your plan!" Max complained.

"Fine!" Riley threw his hands up and put on the microphone that had been set up and walked back out onto the bridge deck so he could look down at the ship he was talking to. The cable was long enough and he could hear the voice through the earpiece and so could Max and Alec. Iain and Logan stayed in the doorway to the bridge so they could hear over the speakers since their hearing was non-existence compared to the Transgenics. "Captain Killen, my name is Riley. My only surname was a fake one created by an agent of the US government for covert operations. My name 'Riley' was one that I chose for myself when I was seven. It holds no legal right." Riley informed him. "My official designation is model X5, unit 331974327826. Generally shortened to X5-862 for practicality."

There was a rather long pause at that and Riley looked around at his friends with a 'what?' kind of look on his face. "Would you prefer Riley then? The rest is a bit of a mouthful."

Riley snorted in amusement. "Riley is fine." He told him.

"Riley then." The Captain agreed. "What are you doing?"

Riley chuckled. "We're out for a short sail." Riley told him. "It was this or get ourselves slaughtered for doing nothing other than breathing. Which was the US government's fault in the first place."

"Yes, we've seen the news reports." The Captain retorted.

"Yes well we never bothered taking over news stations so I don't imagine they painted a very nice picture of us." Riley pointed out. "Am I to assume that you were sent to watch the situation and then decided to monitor us for intentions?"

"That is about the right of it." The Captain agreed.

"Alright then, Captain Killen. Our intentions are to keep these four ships to protect ourselves from unwarranted aggression by the US government. Our survival is our mission and we were bred and trained not to fail our missions." Riley paused and glanced at his lover. "If you interfere with the completion of this objective we will take necessary action to safeguard our mission. There are five hundred and thirty four people included in our mission and only ninety-nine of you on that submarine. Do the math. This is the end of our conversation over telephone. If you wish to continue this conversation notify us by telephone and we will reduce speed to sixteen knots to allow you and one other member of your crew to transfer by our rhib. Submerge and we will take what methods we feel necessary to safeguard our mission. And Captain? Note that we have non-conventional means that you are not aware of to monitor your position even if you submerge and evade sonar detection."

Riley took off the headpiece and chucked them up at Iain and then grinned as the group moved out of the view of the lookout who had probably been able to listen to that little speech. Riley didn't want to plan anything over a telephone when he had Transgenics that could literally detect lies just by watching somebody and any number of useful psy-ops tricks.

"Enjoying yourself?" Max asked as she crossed her arms.

"Hey!" Riley defended. "You made me take the telephone! Next time we'll do it your way and you can jump a hoverdrone and fly down there!" Alec snorted in amusement and wrapped his arms around Riley's waist as she grumbled and swatted at Logan when he laughed at her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

"Your plan worked then." Max mused and Iain snapped his head up to look at her and then at Riley.

"You had a plan?" Iain asked. "What plan?"

Riley smirked at him and then looked down at HMS Ambush and their own rhib coming alongside, currently being grounded to prevent a static shock from killing the two Transgenics manning it. Five men were standing on the back of the Ambush, two waiting to board as soon as it was safe. They'd be hoisted up onto the Anchorages deck to meet with Riley, Max, Alec, Logan and Iain. "We always have a plan, Iain." Riley told the human with a proper smile. "Unfortunately most of our plans come across a little childish but I didn't threaten them for no reason. The speed of their response shows whether they are serious about dealing with us as people or not. We know there are three British Carrier Groups in the Pacific, he could have just delayed long enough for one of them to intercept us."

"But instead he's asked for and received permission to come onboard a hijacked ship to speak to us." Iain nodded. "Interesting but why the childishness?"

"Have you ever killed a person, Iain?" Riley asked darkly and Iain frowned and shook his head in the negative.

"We were eight when we killed a man for the first time." Max stated simply. "A man from death row that they pitted against us to see what would happen. We killed him with our bare hands."

"Sly was standing next to me when we did it." Riley added simply. "If we're not childish at times we disappear under all of that."

"That's why you're all brothers and sisters and love each other." Iain smiled unexpectedly. "To counter the pain."

"And so that someone loves us." Riley jerked his head towards the bridge door.

They headed down through the ship to the conference room and stood waiting behind their chairs before the two submariners were led into the room with two armed X5s walking behind them and a single X6 showing them the way. Riley jerked his head at the three and they nodded and backed out of the room. With Riley, Max and Alec in the room the two couldn't hurt them and they'd have already been searched. Riley waved to two of the seats on their side of the table and the two men slide into the seats. Riley sat opposite the man with Captain's shoulder boards whilst Max sat on his left opposite the Lieutenant Commander he'd brought with him. His Commander would be in Command of his ship so it wasn't a surprise that he had the third most senior officer with him.

Iain sat on Riley's right with Alec on his other side and Logan seated himself on Max's other side. "I suppose I should say, welcome onboard the USS Anchorage." Riley mused.

"Not going to change the name then?" The Captain asked.

"Depends on what we decide to do with it." Riley shrugged. "I'll admit as ships go it's rather handy."

The Captain snorted in unveiled amusement. "I'm Captain Killen. This is Lieutenant Commander Knight."

"Riley." Riley introduced him before pointing to his right at Alec before pointing at everyone in turn. "Alec, Iain, Max and Logan."

"Who's in command?" Killen asked still talking to Riley.

"That's a touchy subject I suppose." Riley smirked. "None of us are really happy being in command but I suppose Max and I have been coined for the job. The others seem to look up to us."

Killen looked them all over before focusing on Logan. "I was given to believe that all of the X-series Transgenics were around or below the age of twenty."

"Logan here is human." Riley laughed. "I know he is getting old." Riley leaned forwards and looked at him. "We are going to have to talk about your retirement soon I suppose."

"Riley..." Max warned.

"Oh sorry. I'm not suggesting anything about his performance in..."

"Don't finish that sentence, Riley." Max warned dangerously and Riley smirked before focusing back on Killen.

"We all have our parts to play in this war. Logan has his uses." Riley shrugged. "And we're not about to discriminate against humans who are actually of use."

"And you, Lieutenant?" Killen asked Iain eyeing his rank tabs with a dubious look. "If you are even really that rank?"

"Technically all Transgenics were given ranks in the military structure. We're all officially lieutenants." Riley covered for Iain even while letting the human decide what to admit to.

"I'm human." Iain said bluntly. "Watch Officer on the USS Anchorage."

"A traitor?" Knight raised his eyebrows.

"And under our protection." Riley narrowed his eyes dangerously and saw Knight swallow thickly.

"I grew up with a Transgenic who escaped about ten years ago. I owed her my life back then and when they arrived I recognised her and decided to pay her back. I consider my loyalty to her and her family above my obligations to a military I have just discovered does not have the same morals as I do." Iain said sternly.

"Well spoken." Killen raised an eyebrow. "However I don't believe that defence will hold up in a court martial."

"He hasn't committed any crime again you." Riley tapped on the desk and drew the two men's attention back to himself. "As it is we were convicted and sentenced to death for nothing more than existing. They considered us a failed experiment but then discovered that we were too strong for them to just pull the plug."

"And how did you end up to be on these ships?" Killen asked.

"Simple." Riley shrugged. "A matter of claiming the advantageous position."

"Whilst skipping every intervening rung." Max pointed out. "We could have matched equal power and lost lives on both sides but eventually they would have turned this fleet's guns on us from a distance and tried to kill us all. We took away that option and took a mobile defensive position to protect ourselves."

"A good plan." Killen seemed to actually agree. "How long ago did you realise we were following you?"

"Probably not as long as you think." Riley chuckled. "We have our advantages but we are quick to react to a changing situation. When you were discovered and considered a threat we reacted."

"How did you find us?" Knight asked.

"By unconventional means." Riley smirked. "You must have seen a few less than subtle Transgenics on your way up here and if you know about the ages of the X-series I'm guessing you were briefed on a few others."

"That is true." Killen nodded. "I'll admit we had our own information on Manticore before it became public. It wasn't considered favourably by our command structure especially when it was learnt that several operations had been carried out within our own territories."

"True." Riley nodded admitting they were correct. Hell, Alec had taken out a family in Surrey. "But I won't permit any decision that tries to place responsibility on us. We followed orders because that's what we were raised to do."

"I don't believe that will be a problem." Killen shook his head.

"Exactly what have you been authorised to suggest, Captain Killen?" Max asked.

"For the time being I have been authorised to ask you to permit oversight of your fleet in exchange for your protection amongst a west bound fleet." Killen told him. "In time decisions will be made but in the meantime you are in control of four powerful ships and a small army. Clearly you are capable of serious warfare however my superiors were taken by surprise when you went from a siege situation in a city to controlling a mobile fleet within a couple of hours."

"We're full of surprises." Alec deadpanned.

"There are other concerns that you should pass up the line." Riley sat back. "In the spirit of cooperation there is some intelligence you should be made aware of. Logan?"

Logan nodded and passed a USB drive across the table. "On there is all the evidence you could ever need about a cult growing in the US and across the globe. Their intention is the subjugation of humans like you and me."

"And your kind?" Killen asked even as he accepted the USB drive and tucked it away inside his jacket.

"Are a thorn in their sides." Riley shrugged. "The information is on that device but basically they had a toxin that they have cultivated over decades that is deadly to humans. One of their scientists went on to help create us and we are immune. That isn't conducive to their plans so they are currently at the forefront of the 'kill all mutants' movement."

"What is it that you want out of this?" Killen asked.

"Recognition of our freedom and right to make choices of our own." Riley told him simply. "We're weapons, bred and trained to kill. There are enough of us on these ships to invade any country on Earth but a handful of us can take out an army under the right conditions."

Killen blinked and Max rolled her eyes at Riley. "What he means to say is that we don't want to always be considered that way. We want to live a life where people aren't expecting us to fight wars. We want freedom and the right to have lives of our own. Grow old with the people we love, have children. Or if people decide then to fight for peace but by our own decisions."

"Well said." Killen nodded. "I will return to my ship and send your requests off. In the meantime I would like you to accept a course change to intercept and join one of our fleets. You have my word..." Riley held up his hand and then reached across the table. Killen frowned but took his hand as if accepted a handshake. He frowned more when Riley shifted his grip and pressed his fingers into his wrist. His sensitive touch could track his heartbeat and even determine stress levels.

"Say what you were going to say." Riley told him and caught his gaze, watching his irises and focus.

"You have my word that you and your kind will not be harmed. That is not our intention here." Killen told him and Riley nodded and let go of him.

"He's not lying." Riley declared into the room. Killen looked surprised and Riley smirked and showed him his fingers. "We're all living, breathing lie detectors, Captain. We could all monitor your stress and iris dilation by sight but tracking your pulse is a good cross reference."

"I assume further discussions will be carried out in person as well then?" Killen looked amused.

"Indeed." Riley nodded. "And whilst I know that somebody in your command structure may trick you into believing what you tell us they will not be aware of the repercussions of such an act."

"Interesting way to word a threat." Killen nodded and stood up. Everyone stood up with him. "In a way we are all military men here, Riley. And believe me when I say your survival is high on our list of concerns. There is much that my country can benefit from your survival but I will pass on up the lines how your priority is your right to freedom of choice. In a way that should be easier to attain than any other demand they were probably expecting from you."

"What of our course change?" Knight prompted.

"Ah yes!" Killen nodded to his officer in thanks for the reminder.

Riley glanced at Max and then at Alec knowing that Logan and Iain would just go with what they said. Max signed to him and Alec waved a signal in agreement. Riley looked back at Killen. "As to that I cannot agree at the moment. Even though the others have decided to place Max and I as spokesmen and leaders we can't make that decision. We must address everybody on the issue."

"Return to your ship." Max told them. "Have your men send us a course alteration via telephone and then draw back to a safe distance but remain on the surface. If we come to a consensus to follow your suggestion we will alter course and you will have your answer."

"And if you don't?" Killen asked.

"We will signal you otherwise." Riley assured him. "There is a chance that my family would prefer to keep a certain distance from your fleet but we will inform you of our decision."

The two armed X5s met them outside the conference room and led the two back down to the rhib to transfer back and Riley headed for the bridge to talk to the other three ships whilst Alec and Max went about talking to the Transgenics on their own ship. Discussing the matter on the vehicle deck where they could best talk.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

"Alright, Iain, do it." Riley smiled at his new friend. Iain reached for the control console and blasted the horn twice to signal the other ships before he changed their course on autopilot. The ship began a slow and languid turn to port. Iain made Krit watch the course settle and lifted binoculars to his eyes as he looked at the other ships, seeing all three of their ships turning to match their course and settle into new escort positions.

"The Ambush is following." Iain told Riley as he moved back to the centre. Riley had purposely stayed put knowing that he could see the other ships' actions without the aid of binoculars but not wanting to step on Iain's turf. "So we're jumping right in?"

"When in a stalemate something has to change." Riley told him simply.

"But are they just the devil we don't know?" Iain asked.

"Well it's a matter of survival. The devil we know wants us dead." Riley shrugged. "If the devil we don't know wants the same thing they'll get find out that we bite back."

"Note how the devil that _knew_ how dangerous you were was the one that tried to kill you." Iain grinned through it wasn't a truly happy smile.

"How long till we intercept with the fleet?" Riley asked.

"Can't see the fleet this far out." Iain shook his head. "Going on the information that the Ambush gave us and at our cruising speed I'd say fifty-six hours."

"Then you have a few days vacation." Riley told him.

"I can work." Iain frowned.

"Not as easily as we can." Riley shook his head and moved closer to Iain and set his hands on his shoulders. "We can monitor the situation easily enough but we'll call you if anything happens."

"Riley..." Iain frowned.

"Seriously, Iain. You deserve to rest. You've done enough and I know you've barely had four hours sleep since this all started." Riley told him.

"Did Sly...?" Iain started but then stopped as Riley just smirked at him. Of course any of the Transgenics could work out how little sleep he'd gotten. "Call me if anything happens?"

"We won't hurt your baby."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	20. Britannia

Twisted Experimentation

A/N; This chapter isn't as long as normal and seems to be just naval warfare but that is kind of the point. There will be a return of White's cult in the next few chapters as the story winds down but Riley has a new biggest threat and that's going to become obvious in the next few chapters. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 20; Britannia

"Riley." Somebody banged on his door urgently. Riley was on his feet in seconds with Alec not far behind. He pulled on boxers and grabbed his jeans and was fastening them up even as he opened his door to find the young X-6, James, waiting for him. "Seraph wants you on the bridge. The Ambush went deep."

Riley nodded and yanked on his trainers and t-shirt before letting James lead him up to the bridge. James went back to watching out of the window while Harry crossed to Seraph. She was an X-5 that had been part of Riley and Alec's unit back at Manticore and had taken one of the four hour watches every twelve hours.

"When did it go deep?" Riley asked.

"Four minutes ago." She told him. Riley grabbed the phone and called Iain's room and Sly answered on the second ring.

"I need Iain on the bridge." He said and got an affirmative and hung up. He turned to Alec who had moved to the bridge wing to scan the horizon himself. "Where was she before she went deep?"

"Two miles on our starboard beam." She told him. "James there saw the lookout disappear down into the conning tower and called me. I got there just to see it start to sink and it didn't waste any time going under."

"I don't see why it would want to suddenly attack us." Riley frowned just as Max and Logan entered the room.

"James grabbed us before going to get you." She said in way of explanation when Riley frowned at their appearance. "What's happening?"

"The Ambush went under the surface." Riley told her simply before looking at Seraph. "Ops room?"

"They're contacting the other ships and seeing what they can find." She nodded.

"Killen doesn't seem the type to have played us for almost two days only to turn on us." Max frowned.

"No." Riley nodded. "His orders might have changed though."

The door suddenly opened and a half dressed Iain tumbled in with a better dressed Sly behind him. "Riley, what's going on?"

"The Ambush went under the surface without any warning." Riley filled him in.

Iain frowned and bit his lower lip for a moment. "The other ship's have anything?" He asked after getting it together in his head.

Riley hit the talk-back to the Ops room. "Anything?"

"No, Riley." A voice told him. "The Nicolas says she can't hear anything at all. Either the Ambush went dead silent or it's fallen within our own baffles."

"Could she hit us from that close?" Riley asked Iain.

"She'd have to take off the arming safeties on her torpedoes." Iain shook his head. "But no Captain would risk his own ship, the shockwave would tear her apart. He'd move out further if he was going to attack."

"He was only two miles away when he went under." Riley pointed out. "Why not find a reason to go out further if he was going to attack? That would mean he could just turn and fire without us even knowing what was happening."

"That's right." Iain nodded.

"Anything we need to do?" Riley prompted.

Iain went to answer before he frowned and his eyes widened. "He's not hiding from us intentionally. Can you find him?"

"If you give me a moment." Riley nodded and shut his eyes. It took a moment to ignore all the transgenics around him and the two humans on the bridge but it wasn't long before he found the collection of signals from about thirty metres right under them. The closest being the few inside the conning tower only six or so metres under where Riley guessed their own keel was. "He's right underneath us."

"Git." Iain grumbled under his breath. "This is a guess so he might be up to something completely different. He knows that somehow you can monitor him and if he was going to attack he wouldn't have dived like that so close or waited for us to get on alert."

"So he's what?" Riley prompted.

"He's hiding from someone. Not us." Iain told him.

"There's no one else on radar." Seraph frowned.

"But there might be an eye in the sky." Iain pointed up.

"Satellite imagery." Riley sighed. They'd taken it into account but the US didn't have a large network of satellites anymore. GPS was run by the British now and they'd decided that the US being able to capture shots of where they were going was an acceptable concession. "He doesn't want to play their hand."

"Exactly. They'd have to answer to a hell of a lot of people if anyone accused them of searching us out intending to help us." Iain nodded. "Maybe they'd rather have the fleets meet before they start telling people they're talking to us."

"So we do nothing because then the satellite might register that we're worried about something underneath us." Seraph summed up.

"You happy with that?" Riley asked Iain who nodded.

"He seemed like a good guy." Iain shrugged and Riley shot him a smile.

"I'll monitor what he's doing, if he does anything but stay right under us we could always get the Nicolas in with her underwater telephone and talk to him. But that would have to be by day or we'll be too obvious about something being up." Riley nodded. "I'll stay up here if the rest of you want to go down. Get the humans back to their beauty sleep."

"Just don't argue." Logan told Iain when he went to open his mouth. Iain grinned before tugging Sly out of the bridge by the hand. Max and Logan followed and Alec made a show of leaning against the window to show he was staying as well.

"You need rest?" Riley prompted Seraph who shook her head. "I'll be outside."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

It wasn't until almost six in the morning local time when the Ambush slid slowly out from under the Anchorage after three hours of hiding. It raised its transmitter aerial first before lingering at periscope depth and finally raised the transmitter again and rose out of the water alongside the Anchorage. The lookout came up telling them all that they were settling onto the surface for at least a while. Another man appeared with a lamp and started flashing them and Riley was quick to translate the message and pass it inside before he gave them the basic acknowledge signal by morse code.

He slipped inside and made a quick pipe for the rhib crew to get ready to pick up a group of eight men from the Ambush and by the time he'd finished Iain was up on the bridge. "The Ambush is sending over a party. Two to stay on here, Knight included, and two each to go to the other ships."

"Liaisons for when we meet the Task Group later." Iain nodded. "I expected it. Anything about why they went under?"

Riley just shook his head before they got a call up that the rhib was ready to go. He got Alec to sort out a pilot for one of the helicopters before going out with Iain onto the bridge wing to let Iain guide the ship around to create a lee for the boat to get into the water. He watched as it went over, filled up to the max with humans and then return and get winched up into its little alcove in the side of the ship. As soon as they were onboard the Ambush slowly slid under the water but stayed at periscope depth with just its radio mast cutting through the waves. Riley trusted them enough not to be too suspicious.

"Eight visitors on board, Riley." An X-6 reported from the bridge wing door.

"Get them to the main hanger." Riley ordered. "And get Max and Logan to meet me there."

"Roger, my Master." The X-6 grinned and ducked away making Iain laugh.

"At least spirits seem high." Iain pointed out.

"Chances are that kid has already taken lives." Riley told Iain quietly just as Alec and Sly slipped out to join them. Riley led the way down the outside of the ship to the hanger and Iain asked his question on the way.

"What makes him different to you?" Iain asked. "Sly said you were all X-5 series and that the eighteen year olds and fourteen year olds were X-6s."

"They created the X-1, X-2, X-3 and X-4 series' first." Riley nodded. "The X-1s were abject failures. There are some here but they were basically abandoned projects. They can all fight though and they're still our family even if they were the horror stories when we were kids."

"Don't forget Joshua." Alex chirped up.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Riley shrugged. "You've met Joshua?"

"The..." Iain paused with a wince.

"Dog-man?" Alec grinned. Iain nodded.

"He pre-dates the actual trials." Riley explained. "He is the only one without a barcode. He was Sandeman's, our main creator's, first project. Anyway after that came the X-2s. There are different classes depending on the reason they were made. Desert, Arctic and such. They were the first real success but they were alien, unable to be used for anything but full out war. Or as techs and support staff."

"They're kind of obvious." Alec grinned.

"X-3s?" Iain prompted.

"Were the first human hybrids, splicing animal DNA directly into human ones. They went through a massive number of failed tests. Basically even when they got a living creation they were too wild." Riley explained. "We've got a few but they only made a few of each really. Tests mainly. Sharks were really successful."

"X-4s?"

"Ah, with them they sort of got rid of the hybrid idea again. They basically amped up human ability in one way or another. We've only got a few of them. Some fight but they basically focused on human mental aptitude. They were supposed to be our generals and support staff. Logistics and all that. Basically living computers that could go unnoticed even as they planned everything for us out in the field." Riley explained.

"Then came you lot?" Iain asked as they stopped outside the hanger so they could finish explaining everything to Iain. Now was as good a time as ever.

"The X-5 series was the major success. They took the best parts of the previous lines and spliced them in. Basically we were the knife edge, designed to function in every environment on Earth within reason. Most of our agility comes from cat DNA for example but we're basically amped up in every way imaginable." Riley explained. "We were all born from human mothers rather than in incubators like the previous series and it worked better."

"Except for you." Iain frowned.

"Well I was born to a human mother." Riley shrugged, glancing at Sly who looked down, embarrassed. He reached out and touched her shoulder to show he didn't mind. "I had abilities of my own before they changed me and what they learnt from my DNA was added to the X-5 series to make them immune."

"To magic?" Iain's eyebrows shot up. Sly smacked him on the arm. "Alright! I believe you!"

"Once we were a success they started the X-6 program. The ones that are eighteen or nineteen. There are about two of them for every X-5. They are very similar to us but have an advantage in recuperation, require even less sleep than us but they were trained as soldiers, not officers." Riley explained. "Although we no longer treat them as if we were their officers they seem to prefer to keep us as their superiors."

"An X-5 would win a fight with a single X-6 of the same training." Sly explained. "But an X-6 can go for longer and get up quicker after being injured."

"The second set were created once the older group were into actual training at three." Riley continued. "There are around three or four of them for each X-5. All between fourteen and fifteen. In a war they'd send us in with a couple of X-5 to plan on the move and command and perhaps eight to ten X-6s. That would be a battle group."

"Twelve?" Iain asked in surprise.

"The ratio was going to be twelve transgenics to a company of men. Even up to the two hundred mark." Riley shrugged. "They paired the X-5s up once we were fifteen so we knew how to work together in those pairs. Alec and I for example but we always trained with different groups of X-6s and even they weren't put into squads. Alec and I were supposed to find each other in the aftermath of a battle and put together a squad of any X-6s before moving onto another objective."

"Nice." Iain grumbled at the theory, not especially liking the coldness of it all.

"The last group created were the X-7s." Riley shook his head. "We have eight left now. They were almost completely wiped out in the destruction of Manticore and White took most of the rest out."

"What are they?" Iain asked.

"Bat hybrids basically." Riley shrugged. "Extremely fast with an ultrasonic hive mind. The more of them in range of each other the more intelligent they are. Individually they will follow direct orders from a superior like the X-5s but they are dependent on having orders. They have no free will of their own. They were supposed to be able to take on an X-5 on their own one on one but although they got the drop on us for their speed they became predictable to us. Manticore didn't expect us to be able to predict their moves and it gave us an edge no matter what Manticore tried."

"But the X-7s work together in groups extremely well. They'll make plans together so quickly you can't keep yourself protected on all sides." Alex explained. "Only Riley could take on three of them."

"So what were they for?" Iain asked.

"Defence." Riley shrugged. "Surround a base with them and they can give you perfect coverage. If one spots a problem all of them know about it instantly and they can move to intercept it without communication jamming or tricks. They need barely twenty minutes of rest every twenty-four hours so they have no change of the guard."

"Harsh life." Iain frowned.

"Try talking to one of them." Alex snorted. "It's like talking to a wall. They just don't care about anything but carrying out the orders they're given."

"Come on." Riley pushed open the hanger door and let the others walk in before him. That explanation had taken ten minutes and they'd barely scratched the surface on the different types of transgenics. Iain was going to be in for it if he wanted more answers.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

It wasn't long before Riley and Alec were leading Knight up onto the bridge of the Anchorage. Pulled along with them was Lieutenant Conners, an engineer on the submarine and there purely as an additional number. They'd come with a few changes of clothes but didn't expect to be onboard for more than a few days.

"My Captain was pleased that you seemed to not have taken offence to our submerging last night." Knight told him once they were on the bridge and away from the other curious transgenics.

"We decided from the information available to us that you had due cause and were not being aggressive. We decided to monitor you and allow you time." Riley nodded.

"You were able to monitor us?" Knight asked in surprise. "We assumed the Anchorage's baffles would hide us from the warships."

"Which it did." Riley nodded. "As I said before we have unconventional means to recognise threats."

"I see." Knight nodded, clearly recalling that discussion. "As for submerging we received a warning from the carrier group that the US had re-tasked one of their remaining satellites to overflow your ships. We did not wish to be spotted on the surface running with your ships."

"It was the reason we had decided upon." Riley nodded.

"We apologise for not warning you but we were not expecting one of their satellites until tomorrow." Knight half smiled.

"Bridge, Ops room." A voice sounded. Krit moved over and with a glance at a silently waiting Iain he answered. "We've got a return on long range radar being reported from the Normandy. Five ships so far."

"Pass the position to the Ambush and we'll confirm if it's the task group." Knight told them. Krit passed the message to the ops room before cutting the connection. "If that is the task group then expect something to happen from the Americans."

"Oh?" Riley prompted though he was guessing what Knight meant.

"The satellite would have picked up the task group easily enough and realise we're heading right for them. They'll either be hoping that we take you out for them or be getting worried that we're about to find out what's been happening here and decide to help." Knight shrugged. "Either way I'd expect they'll be talking to our people right now trying to garner our help."

"We'll assess your actions as they happen." Riley told him quietly and Knight detected the shallow threat for what it was.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

It was almost evening when the transgenics first spotted the British Fleet ahead of them coming towards them. Within two hours they were in the thick of it. Riley stood on the bridge wing with Alex, Max, Logan, Iain, Sly and the two liaison officers and watched as HMS Britannia, brand new flagship of the Royal Navy cruised past them in the opposite direction before wheeling hard over to turn about and back towards the south west. Two massive support ships, one tanker and one stores ship had slowly turned before reaching them and the fleet seemed to shift effortlessly with the Anchorage and her three US warships in the centre. The Britannia completed her sharp turn and slowly came up onto their beam over the course of twenty minutes.

In all they'd identified, with the help of Iain, the Strike Carrier with its massive form, the two support ships as well as a large amphibious ship the size of the Anchorage. Around them were eight warships of different types and four smaller escort ships and according to Knight another attack submarine and somewhere in the vicinity a ballistic missile submarine that was loosely attached to the fleet but never seen. Normally the warships wouldn't hang around all together and so close but range out and the Ambush was designated as the fleet's long range reconnaissance, seeking out trouble before it became evident. That's why she'd headed for Seattle when everything had kicked off.

In all Riley appreciated the splendour of so many ships of war formed up together especially with their own military background. Their own country had used to have fleets like this, perhaps a little on the smaller side, but after the Pulse they'd pulled them back to their own coasts and then slowly stripped the teeth from the watch dog as funds ran dry. Britain had filled that gap and then some.

"Now what?" Max asked too quietly for the humans to hear. Riley gave a small gesture to show he didn't really know but then turned to look up at the mast where a large flag flew in the wind. The other ships were flying it too, the flag that Joshua had made for them all. For their family.

"We stick together, no matter what." Riley declared quietly.

"Riley..." Alec pointed out ahead of them where a sleek looking warship suddenly banked hard to port and shot up in speed, crossing ahead of the support ships and out to the east. Another one of the same class did the same even further ahead of them.

"Those are Type 45s." Iain told Riley. "Destroyers pegged for fleet anti-air defence. They've spotted something."

"Call the Farragut and make sure she keeps an eye out for whatever they saw. Put her to the east and make sure she can fire." Riley told him. Iain nodded and slipped inside.

"I'll find out what's happening." Knight offered and moved away to talk on a secure radio he'd come onboard with.

Iain was back out with them in only thirty seconds. "Farragut just reported. They've got a high level reconnaissance plane inbound. Possibly playing recon for a strike."

"Tell them to fire if for even a second they think we're under threat." Riley nodded at Iain who slipped back inside.

"Farragut's got it." Knight told him as they came back. "The 45s found an incoming plane a thousand miles out and heading our way. We've told the plane not to enter five hundred miles from us but we doubt they'll listen."

"And your task group?" Riley asked. "Will it protect us if this leads to a fight?"

"We have told the US as such." Knight nodded. "We've told them that we wish to determine the case here in relation to human rights and require a cease fire between yourself and the US in order to determine that. It's a polite way of saying the whole thing is in our hands now. We'll have to see how they react."

"We'll shoot if the planes come inside two hundred miles." Iain told Knight simply. "Until then they're in your hands."

Riley was impressed with his decisiveness and smirked at him. It's the same as he would have said if it was just them out here without the suddenly massive escort.

Things were quiet for a time. The ops room reported that there was air traffic between the British and the American planes coming in. The Farragut found four fighter aircraft inbound but there wasn't much they could do. If it was just them on their own then Riley would have ordered the Farragut to start shooting already. With four attackers they couldn't afford to wait till later if it was just themselves but with the defences the British offered and the ability to know that they weren't lying they could wait a little longer.

It was quiet until the attack aircraft entered two hundred miles and then the Farragut took action without Riley having to prompt them. A missile shot up into the sky and blew sideways away from the fleet with an angry roar. A second went up from her fifteen seconds later and in the distance two streaks could be seen going up from about twenty miles away. From the two British destroyers.

Riley watched patiently as his keen eyes tracked the four missiles and he nodded decisively when he noted that the British missiles weren't aimed to shoot down their own missiles. They had fired upon the Americans. There was no question now; the British were aiding them completely. The missiles disappeared from view and Riley led the way inside the bridge to join all the others as they listened to the reports from the ops room and the Farragut as they tracked the missiles.

"Ten seconds to estimated impact." The Ops room reported. Riley waited patiently. He could see Logan, Iain and the two submariners eyeing people nervously, waiting anxiously for it to happen but all the transgenics on the bridge, even the fourteen year old X-6s were emotionless. This was battle and they knew how best to act. "Detonation of missiles reported. Four explosions. One contact remaining."

Meaning one had managed to use decoys to draw off the missile. "Riley!" James drew his attention. "The Britannia is launching aircraft."

Riley turned to look and watched as two fighter jets flew up from the aircraft carrier's deck and turned west, probably to loop around. It was too late for them to get up enough speed to take on the remaining fighter jet but that wouldn't be necessary as they watched the Farragut fire off another missile that streaked straight up before twisting and blasting off into the east after the last fighter. Two streaks went up in the distance again.

"Final target destroyed at one hundred miles." The Ops Room reported a short time later. "The Britannia's aircraft are shepherding the reconnaissance plane."

"Now what?" Iain looked around.

"We're at the outer extent of the US's ability to strike at us from land." Riley pointed out. "They'll require a naval force to extend that range."

"They'll vector in their attack submarines." Knight told him. "The Ambush and Astute are already hunting them but even if they don't find them the task group's escort won't be easy for a submarine to slip through unnoticed.

"Riley." The Ops Room got his attention. Trust them to just be speaking to him directly. He glared at Max and Alec as they smirked at him. "The Britannia is directing an alteration of course. They are turning to a course of two-five-zero and want us to take station south to south east of them between one and three miles."

Riley turned to Krit who had the ship and nodded. "Roger Cap!" Krit grinned at him in amusement and Riley slapped Alec on the shoulder when he laughed. Riley moved to the bridge wing and watched as the Anchorage drew forwards as the Britannia turned to starboard. The Normandy and Nicolas shifted slightly on the Anchorage's port side into whatever sectors the Britannia had passed to them and soon the Farragut was joining them again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two weeks later**

Riley stood on the bridge wing watching a helicopter soar overhead and towards the anchored Britannia. The wind blew along their own ship and Riley turned to take in the three warships with his family onboard, slowly rolling on their anchors in the port of Sydney. Half of the British ships were outside the bay patrolling for dangers but the Britannia and the supply ships were at anchor with them, showing unity according the Lieutenant Phillips, their new liaison.

Alec slipped up beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist and riley leaned into him. "Looks better than the US." Alec muttered. Riley snorted, there was no doubt there. Australia, like Britain, had come a long way in the time since the Pulse and as part of the Commonwealth it had benefited from being part of the largest alliance of countries in the world since the United Nations had collapsed along with the Pulse. Even from where Riley and Alec stood they could see the technology of the city of Sydney that nobody had seen the like of in the US.

"Can you be happy now?" Alec asked him.

"I'm happy." Riley complained. "I'd just like not to need to look over my shoulder all the time."

"I know you, Riley. You'll always be looking over your shoulder." Alec laughed.

Riley leaned further into him and put his head against Alec's shoulder. "There's a difference between doing it and _needing_ to do it."

"I suppose that's true, but..." Alec stopped as an alarm rang out through the ship. The fire bell. Riley and Alec slipped into the bridge where Krit was already silencing the alarm.

"Someone hit a call point on the aft mooring deck." Krit told him.

"We've got a camera there." Riley stated but spotted James, the fourteen year old X-6, moving to the screen already and selecting the camera. The screen opened up to show four figures in long black cloaks standing over an unconscious body. Clearly whoever they were had taken out a transgenic and another had made it to the call point.

"Are those skulls?" James asked him and moved into his side a little.

"Arm up." Riley announced suddenly recognising the way they moved and most importantly the wooden sticks in their hands. Wands. He made it to the piping system. "Intruder alert. Deck one, mooring deck. Wizards. All hands move to secure comms and arm up." He thought of the unconscious transgenics and frowned before continuing. "Shoot to disarm but kill to survive."

Alec arrived at his side with a P-90 and a headset for Riley and he slipped them on even as Alec did the same. He switched on the radio in time to hear the ops room come alive. "Ops room on secure comms, tracking eight intruders on CCTV."

Riley shut his eyes and focused on his additional sense even as he heard Krit reporting the invaders to all the other ships. He saw the buzz of activity as the transgenics grouped up, armed themselves and started moving through the ship. He could hear the ops room tagging them with group numbers and directing them.

"Ops room, this is Riley." Riley announced at a quiet moment. "I count twelve intruders. Four from the mooring deck, two on the starboard embarkation deck, four on the port embarkation deck and two on the top accommodation aft."

"Roger, four additional tracked." The ops room answered quickly and even if they couldn't find a camera with those groups on them they started directing groups there.

"One down." Somebody reported. "Starboard embarkation deck. Second blew out of here somehow."

"He apparated." Riley said to himself before thumbing the microphone. "Confirmed, two off sense." He paused just as something flared his attention and he was turning even as the sound registered. He took in the black dressed figure in the doorway to the bridge wing before he fired from his P-90 just as the wizard fired a red spell down the bridge. It shattered through computers and control boxes and sent James flying back into Riley who was sent flying back along with him.

He rolled with the blast and cushioned James from hitting the ground before gently rolling him onto the deck. He glanced up to see the figure fall back out of the bridge door and Krit moving to check him. Alec came for him but Riley focused back on James as he laid him out and started checking him.

"Medic to the bridge." Riley snapped down the radio.

"Ops room, get a security team up here. One target down." Alec reported. Riley opened James' torn shirt and took in the mass of blood and torn skin. He pulled off his t-shirt and pressed it down as a bandage.

"Come on James." Riley whispered. "I can still feel you."

"Medic, double-time it up to the bridge." Alec ordered again.

James opened his eyes with a groan. "Riley..." He whispered through the pain. "What hit me?"

"Just a little magic." Riley told him gently.

"How's it look?" James asked as no fewer than eight transgenics ran onto the bridge.

"Just a little blood." Riley smiled down at him.

"Liar." James smiled back before losing consciousness. Two medics dropped down next to them and started working instantly.

"Need blood, Cap." One of them told him.

Riley nodded and shoved his P-90 up at Alec who took it without a care. Riley held out his arm. "Nobody heals better than with my blood." Riley announced.

"Dude." The medic muttered before sticking the needle into Riley with barely any pause. "He's going to be hot as hell with your blood in him. Poor kid."

Riley sat down on the floor and gently pulled James' head into his lap, keeping him still as the medics went to work on his chest, pulling out torn cloth so it could start healing. He listened to the reports and slowly the last of the intruders were either killed or run off. In the end they didn't really know how many had actually attacked since some of the ones that fled might have just relocated but in the end eight were shot and two were captured. Already the psy-ops bunch were putting themselves to work on the two captured ones and although they seemed more resistant to humans they were breakable.

Riley helped to carry James down to a bed in the infirmary. Two others were unconscious but neither physically as bad as James was. The two that had been on the mooring deck had merely been spelled unconscious but the X-5s had been the front line and they'd taken dozens of hits without being affected one bit.

Riley sat with James until he'd given almost a third of his own blood into the kid before heading up to find himself a new t-shirt to wear. Eventually though he found himself down in what had become the interrogation room listening to the 'Death Eaters' spew information like fountains. You had to hand it to the guys in psy-ops. They could make people talk without the victims even realising they were doing it. Alec watched the interrogations with him, standing at the back of the room so they wouldn't be spotted by the two wizards and they were there for an hour before an older X-6 slipped into the room and up to Riley. "The Commodore on the Britannia is waiting for you on screen in the conference room."

Riley sighed and leaned into Alec for support which his boyfriend instantly gave back by tightening his grip around Riley's waist. Now Riley had to explain what had just happened on the Anchorage and decide what he wanted to do about it. First though he was sending the X-6 to find Max and drag her into helping him too. No way was she going to get out of the politics so easily.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	21. A New Home

Twisted Experimentation

A/N; After much deliberation over this story I've decided to end it the way I originally planned rather than opening up new arcs of the story which I don't believe this story really needs. So after a massive six years of work and far too many delays I bring you the final chapter of Twisted Experimentation and can only hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Chapter 21; A New Home

**USS Anchorage**

Riley had watched silently over James in the infirmary all night. James had been the only one really injured this badly and he'd recover. The damage had been purely physical and a slice across the chest, as nasty as it had looked, was nothing to them and the X-6s had even better restorative abilities than Riley's own series.

James had woken a couple of times over the night and Riley had been there to make sure he stayed still but James was a soldier and the last thing he was going to do was run around and open up his wounds. It was morning before Riley knew he had to leave and he found Alec outside the infirmary door looking as if he'd spent the entire night there even though Riley knew by the look of him that he'd had what amounted to an X-5's full night's rest. They headed down to the flight deck where they found Max and Logan waiting just inside the hanger doors as a team of transgenics readied an Osprey for take-off. Riley chuckled at the fact the Osprey was looking rather new in comparison to what they'd flown out on. It had a new paint job and the Transgenic Nation flag painted on its flank just like the ships flew on their masts. That flag was very much the rallying point for the hundreds of transgenics on the four ships.

Riley turned his head when another guy approached them ready to leave, chewing on a candy bar. Riley nodded to him as Logan jerked when he appeared seemingly without warning. That was the interesting thing about IT concentrates as Manticore had called them. They were walking battle processors, capable of taking in thousands of pieces of information at any given time and planning for every eventuality. Michael, this one, had suggested he come along for their meeting on the British Carrier because despite Max, Alec and Riley's intelligence they didn't know absolutely everything about their transgenic brother and sisters' limits and their new nation's capabilities.

"Logan, this is Michael." Riley told him and Logan finally managed to admit to himself that Michael was there. "It's another of my genes used to create psyops transgenics. It makes it rather difficult for you to really notice his presence."

"So I've heard." Logan frowned. "If I look away will I forget he's there?"

Michael laughed before taking pity on Logan. "If I leave you might not notice me come back. I can get the better of transgenics like Alec and Max too. Never did work on Riley though. Same as most of the psyops division."

The Osprey spun up and within a few minutes they were slipping forwards to board and heading across the bay towards the massive carrier, HMS Britannia. They were quickly given permission to land on the large flight deck and escorted inside as their Osprey shut down. They were led through twisting passageways, Michael having to hop through spaces before the human crew cut him off without noticing him, and finally led into a conference room dominated by a large interactive table. Max and Logan accepted two of the six seats around one side but Alec and Riley moved to the side of the windowless room and Michael sat in a chair in the very corner at the back of the room even though he could have sat right in the centre and most likely been overlooked.

They weren't kept waiting long and soon eight men and women were walking into the room. Riley spotted a few he recognised but only a few really mattered and they were the more senior members of the group and one that caught his eye because they were wearing a press badge. "You've decided to publicize our presence?" Riley prompted before anyone could begin introductions.

The man in charge, an Admiral, gestured and the new comers took seats on the spare chairs, leaving Riley and Alec to take seats with Max and Logan. The press woman sat down two seats down from the Admiral and the officer between them was the Captain of the Britannia according to his name tag on his uniform. The others seemed to be aides to the Fleet Command Group rather than officers of the ship.

"My name is Admiral Forestgrove. This is my fleet as it were." The Admiral declared. "The Captain at my side is this ship's Captain, Captain Morrison. And this fine woman is Miss Kai Piper, reporter for the BBC attached permanently to this task group for public relations. She's not here specifically for you but as you have become big news around the world I thought it best she was kept informed. Already she has given many reports on TV of your presence within the fleet."

"I can have all my videos forwarded to you after this meeting and you can look through them if you'd like." She assured the three Transgenics. "And I've not broadcast anything about transgenics in particular, only your presence on the ships and what we know of your altercation in Seattle."

"She'd _like_ to go on board your ships with a film crew and put together some interviews with your friends and of the ships." The Admiral told him. "And our own command would like to support this effort."

"Show you in a more personal light to our viewers around the world." Kai told him.

Riley turned to take in Alec and Max on either side of him before twisting his head to look at Michael for his opinion. He knew more about the goings on with all of the transgenics than he did really. "I've seen her reports." Michael spoke up and a gasp went through the room as all the humans were attracted to his presence and tensed up in surprise at not having noticed him. "They're neutral at the moment, almost making us out to be refugees but quite clearly dangerous ones. It wouldn't hurt and British public opinion is on our side at the moment."

"Who are you?" Captain Morrison frowned.

"Perhaps introductions on our side then?" Max offered. "My name is Max, this is Alec and Riley."

"X-5's right?" The Admiral asked. "Officers of a sort."

"Precisely." Alec nodded. "That is Logan, human tag along."

"Alec…" Max warned but Alec just shot Logan a teasing grin and the human's rolling eyes told the other humans in the room that Alec was just teasing him.

"And this is Michael." Riley turned his head to look at Michael again.

"I am an IT concentrate." Michael informed him. "Designed to be a General and his entire staff all rolled into one unnoticeable package."

"He could have sat in the corner and not said a word and you wouldn't have noticed him for days." Riley told them. "But his ability to comprehend massive amounts of information means that he and his brothers and sisters are our logistics experts."

"So as X-5s and officers…" Kai started. "Does that mean you have taken command over the other transgenics?"

"We are not the oldest on our ships." Max told them all simply. "Manticore intended for us to be officers and the later series were to be our soldiers but we have not kept that structure on our ships."

"However our younger brothers and sisters seem content to let us lead. We all have our abilities but the X-5 series have all seen more real world application and are more confident dealing with real-life crisis." Riley explained simply. "And as Max lead us all to rebellion and freed us all from Manticore it is her that most consider our leader."

"And yourself?" Kai asked.

"We are looking to one another for protection and security right now." Alec told the group. "Riley is the strongest and deadliest of us so naturally most of us look to him for that security even if we are all capable of protecting ourselves and each other."

"Also right now this newest threat to us seems to be centred on me." Riley told them.

"Yes, the Death Eaters that attacked you yesterday." The Admiral frowned. "What do you know of them?"

"I know they are magical." Riley replied simply. "We had a run in with several when we left Seattle but this group yesterday seemed to act with different motives."

"Death Eaters are a magical terrorist organisation." The Admiral informed them. "Not known to all for their magical nature and those that do know are under the Official Secrets Act. They are trying to purify their world from the perceived pollution of mundane influences. It is possible for any person to be born with magic and the magical world takes them in but these Death Eaters and their leader who calls himself Lord Voldemort wants to cleanse their world of what they call Muggleborns and all those that support them."

"Do you have a defence against them?" Alec asked.

"You seemed to fair well yesterday." The Captain nodded. "When we heard the alert and started mobilising we were shocked to find you fighting them off so effectively."

"But yes, we do have some defences." The Admiral nodded. "Over the last decade we have had to learn to use our own science to counter their abilities."

"As for our own defences all of the X-5 series were genetically bred to be immune to all forms of magic." Max declared.

"And my own unique abilities root from my own genetic makeup." Riley explained. "That of being born to a magical family." Riley explained.

"Excuse me? You're magical?" Kai gasped.

"As one of our trainers explained it to me my parents were murdered when I was just a baby and I was put in the care of family in Surrey who didn't want me and weren't given a choice. They sold me to Manticore." Riley shrugged. "Who experimented profusely with my DNA to create much of our psychological operations division, the X-5 series' immunity and some of my own unique abilities."

"So that's how you fought them off so effectively yesterday." The Captain nodded.

"They could not harm any of our X-5 brothers and sisters and proved to be woefully inadequate at any form of physical combat." Max declared simply. "We killed a few and captured a couple more before they retreated."

"You have captives?" The Admiral perked up. "You should be aware that when they wake they will be able to disappear, or apparate as they call it. You don't have the technology to prevent that."

"No we don't." Riley nodded. "But we have the abilities necessary to prevent it."

"How so?" Kai asked.

"All night the two captives we took have been divulging all of their secrets to us unaware that they don't really want to." Alec smirked.

"Not torture…" The Captain looked unnerved.

"Of course not." Max laughed. "We're a little more evolved than those methods, they're ineffective and you can't really trust the information you get."

"And you can trust these results?" The Admiral asked. "We have very little intelligence on the Death Eaters."

Riley glanced at Alec and then Max and Logan and then finally back at Michael and got the smallest of agreements from them all. "We'll organise for the information to be passed onto you. We would prefer that the method ascertained from the information isn't spread to the public."

"Thank you." The Admiral nodded. "Now, you mentioned a meeting with Wizards before leaving Seattle?"

"Yes." Riley nodded. "They confronted Alec and I while we were withdrawing from Terminal City."

"Do you know who?" Kai asked.

"They identified themselves as Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin and Hermione Granger." Riley told them simply and saw recognition across all their faces. Obviously at least one of them was well known. "Dumbledore informed us that he was Headmaster of a school called Hogwarts and that I should have attended. I believe he's had people tracking me for some weeks before we left Seattle. They keep popping up. Two of them even tried to kidnap me while I was severely injured. They learnt quickly not to try again."

"They rely heavily on their magic." The Admiral nodded. "Take that away and they succumb quickly to more physical means."

"They treated our own dilemma as if it was trivial, beneath their notice and of no concern to them." Alec told them.

"Most behave the same way." The Admiral nodded. "As if they are beyond any of us."

"Not all though." The Captain pointed out. "A few tire of their world and return to our own. We have two with us on this fleet. They don't flaunt their magic but we ask them for advice at times."

"They tried to use the death of my relatives in Surrey to spark a need for revenge against Voldemort and his followers." Riley told them. "Without realising that it was Manticore that facilitated their deaths. They want me to join them in their war and they didn't seem all that likely to ask but simply require my assistance as if I'd drop everything for them."

"Albus Dumbledore has a chip on his shoulder." The Admiral nodded. "He is a Lord in the House of Lords and as such likes to throw his weight around but he has no power over you."

"Did he say why you were of such interest to them?" Kai asked.

"They did not say it but our trainer at Manticore once told me." Riley nodded. "Supposedly the name I was born with, Harry Potter, is of some note to them."

"You could say that." The Admiral breathed as everyone gasped. "As a baby you became their hero for temporarily banishing Voldemort. You then disappeared but they believe that you are their answer to Voldemort."

"And now that you know will you use Riley to defeat your terrorists?" Alec asked dangerously.

"No." The Admiral shrugged. "We will of course pass this information up the chain but we already have plans in motion to take down this terrorist organisation. We have the technology to prevent their magic from taking hold and soon we will use it to nullify the danger that Voldemort represents and take him out. We need only know his location."

"Well with that we can help." Michael spoke up, making many around the table twitch, they'd overlooked him again. "Our… _guests…_ were kind enough to inform us of everything they knew about the locations of their Master's bases."

That perked people up and the atmosphere relaxed just a little at the offering of open information like Michael had just done. "Have you looked into the Cult we informed you of?" Riley asked after a moment.

"All the information you gave the Astute is currently being looked into and followed. We're doing what we can to track their movements around the globe but it's proving to be a herculean task." The Admiral informed them. "Which brings us to the reason I asked to speak to you today."

"Oh?" Logan asked.

"We're got an idea where you can go long term." The Admiral declared. "You'd have complete freedom but the option to set your own security and control those you interact with."

"Got an island in the middle of the ocean for us then?" Alec teased.

"Actually, you're not too far wrong." The Admiral laughed before drawing a pattern on the surface of the table on his side to unlock it and then he logged in. He opened a file and a schematic for some sort of structure appeared. Riley stood with the rest of the room and moved their chairs out of the way to look down at the table display better and Michael moved closer.

"It's a ship." Michael announced as his eyes rapidly took in the information. "Two kilometres in length and two and a half kilometres across the stern. Horseshoe design to create a protected harbour."

"That's not just a ship." Max mused. "It's a floating base. An island in itself."

"Exactly." The Admiral nodded. "We're currently building five to act as staging bases across the globe with the intention of international security." He opened a new file and a gnemonic global chart appeared with dots spread out. "One in the North Atlantic, one in the west and east Pacific, one in the Arctic and finally this one in the Indian Ocean. The Dreadnaughts in the Atlantic and Arctic are complete and are undergoing trials. The Pacific two are almost complete off the coast of Japan and will move into position after their trials and finally this one in the Indian Ocean is structurally sound and in position."

"What's the point in this?" Riley asked.

"Obviously we can't just give this one in the Indian Ocean to you but we'd like to offer it as a safe haven for you. In return for you and your brothers and sisters helping to finish it and bring it into operation and then operating it for the future under our orders we would give you a permanent home on it. You would of course be free to travel to anywhere in the world whenever you wish and we would like to offer you amnesty under the British Crown with UK passports." The Admiral continued. "We would of course keep a large presence on the Dreadnaught as it is our future presence in the Indian Ocean and to Africa, Australasia and Asia but the Admiralty is happy to give actual Command of the Dreadnaught over to you given time."

"So we would move there and help to finish it and bring it up to full operational specification." Alec mused as he stole control of the schematic. "Then run it as our home and as a forward operating base for the British Military."

"More or less exactly." The Admiral nodded.

"I see why you chose this one, far away from US influence." Riley nodded.

"Are you open to the idea?" The Admiral asked.

"We don't have the authority to make that decision for us all." Max told him. "All of us are entitled to a say in this."

"Of course." The Admiral nodded.

"But we are open to the idea." Riley nodded. "And from there we can assist you in tracking this cult and preventing their future plans. Not to mention this gives all of us the option to assist your military."

"Any military assistance from those as highly trained and professional as you all are would be greatly welcomed." The Admiral nodded.

"But that is up to the individual whether to continue on a military path." Alec warned. "We are trying very hard to not make war our only life."

"That is something we can understand." The Admiral nodded. "I can't imagine how tough it must be knowing you were bred to wage war for those that in the end discarded you. But we see you as legal individuals and will protect that freedom just as we would any other in the world."

"Thank you." Riley nodded. "Can you provide us with all the information on this matter so that we can share the details with the others?"

"Of course." Captain Morrison nodded.

"And we will organise the transfer of all the intelligence we gained from our magical prisoners." Max added before offering her hand across to the Captain. She shook the Admiral's hand afterwards and then Kai Piper's. The Admiral then offered his hand to Riley and Riley noted the tension there. He obviously realised that Riley would be the hardest to build trust with. Riley nodded and took his hand and shook it firmly before doing the same with the others.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

Word had spread between all of the ships and throughout them all about the offer made by the British and anywhere Riley went he could hear people chatting about it and he was asked for his opinion a hundred or more times. A team arrived from the Britannia a few hours after Riley, Alec, Max, Logan and Michael had returned and with them came a piece of kit about the size of a suitcase that was wired into the ship's high voltage system and switched on for them. According the humans that fitted the device it detected incoming magical transports of multiple kinds and send out a pulse which was essentially an anti-magic pulse. Supposedly the wizard or witch would 'splinch', whatever that was, or simply appear outside the range of the device, i.e. in the water.

It was starting to get dark when Riley walked up onto the quiet bridge. Most of the ships around them had lit up interior bridges now that they were at anchor but the transgenics didn't need the extra light and preferred to be able to more easily see out of the windows. "Hey Krit." Riley whispered as he walked up to his brother. "How are all the others?"

Krit looked at him from his mug of hot chocolate and gave him a warm look. Riley wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned into him a little. "They're adjusting to being with everyone else again. All the kids want stories."

"I haven't seen Sly or Iain all day." Riley muttered. Krit just laughed a little before falling silent again.

"What do you think of moving to his Dreadnaught in the Indian Ocean, Riley?" Krit asked after a moment.

"I think it's the best option for us." Riley sighed. "We can make it our own. Prove ourselves to the British." Riley shut his eyes for a moment. "What about Matthew?"

"I talked to him earlier when they flew over to transfer some parts." Krit sighed. "He says she deserves to know the truth now."

"Did you meet her or the kid?" Riley asked.

"Only from a distance." Krit shrugged. "Sly and I went through there once but we just made a drop. We didn't try to see him. Alex stayed nearby though and she knew him. Alex and Matthew told her that they were old school friends."

"Close enough to the truth." Riley sighed.

"Matthew's scared of going back to tell her." Krit sighed. "He loves her and that kid of her's he adopted means more to him than the world. But when this all kicked off he felt drawn to us. He wanted to help and when we told him about meeting you when we rescued Charlie and Case..." Krit smiled to himself. "He dropped everything because he, like the rest of us, wanted to save you. To be there for you when you needed us."

"I've forgiven all of you, Krit." Riley nudged him with his elbow and lifted his head so he could lean back against the window and look at Krit in the dying light properly. "Now it's time for Matthew to find his family again."

"Can he bring them onto the Dreadnaught?" Krit asked.

"The Admiral said it's up to us to operate the Dreadnaught however we like." Riley shrugged. "And there'll be plenty of room."

"Charlie and Case?" Krit asked and Riley just nodded.

"We'll put together an extraction plan." Riley assured him. "Put you, Sly, Matthew, Alex, Zane, Seth and Zack back into the US to collect the few people we want to bring with us. You're the best at blending in. We'll organise an extraction with the British. It might be simplest to just have the people fly out and Charlie and Case are in Canada after all and that's Commonwealth."

"A home." Krit smiled at the idea. "The transgenic nation floating around in the middle of the ocean where nobody can get to us."

"Do you have anyone you want to bring out?" Riley asked.

Krit smiled a little at Riley. "When I was thirteen and everything was still in massive chaos after the pulse this older couple took me in. When I was sixteen they asked me if I knew why I was so good at things. They home-schooled me you see and they couldn't help but notice how good I was at patterns and that sort of thing. I panicked when they asked me and all the old training kicked in and I ran for it. I didn't even come up with an excuse, I just legged it out of the door. But it was late so I stuck around for the night, planning on hitchhiking the next morning or something."

"What happened?" Riley asked.

"I didn't really go far that night, lurked on the corner of the street staring at the house I'd lived in for three years. Then I saw three guys heading down the street. Thieves. I watched them break into the house so I followed them. They were tying them up when I arrived and they drew guns on me. I took two down in seconds… child's play compared to what we were used to, even if it had been six years since I had a real opponent." Krit sighed. "Taking them down maybe I could have gotten away with. I could have told them some story about training in martial arts of something. But then the third guy shot at me and I dodged from just ten feet away, vied off of the wall and shoved him straight through a brick wall."

"Not so easy to explain." Riley nodded.

"So I told them everything." Krit sighed. "I poured out all my memories to them. All about growing up in Manticore, about our training, about all of you. About the guy we killed in training. About using you to escape and my life out in the real world. And they listened and they looked so scared for me. So sorry that we'd all gone through that."

"Where are they now?" Riley asked.

"Sly and I had always stayed in contact and when she needed a place to stay they put her up but we decided to travel a bit. Try to find the others so when we were eighteen I left. I swing through whenever I'm in the area but since all this kicked off I've stayed away from them. It's real now. You know?" Krit shrugged.

"Do you want to offer them a new home?" Riley asked.

"Last time I visited they'd just taken in this seven year old girl." Krit shrugged. "They're happy where they are."

"You should drop in and say hello." Riley told him. "At least tell them where you're going so they know you're okay."

"Yeah." Krit nodded. "I think I will."

"Just don't take Zach with you." Riley joked, making them both laugh.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two weeks later**

A spray of water struck the front of the Anchorage as it slowly made it's way towards its destination. They could see their other ships through the sea spray all around them and it was light enough under the clouds to make out a few miles ahead of them. Iain was in control of the ship as it coped with the rollers but all eyes were ahead of them where their radar was telling them that their destination was looming large on the horizon.

"Lights, Riley." James announced offering up a pair of binoculars. Riley took them and gazed through the spray kicked up by the wind at the horizon ahead of them and just made out a row of lights marking their destination. He nodded and handed the binoculars back to James who bounced off to tell everyone else of his discovery.

"Aircraft inbound." Krit warned from the radar screen. "Port beam."

Riley turned but they didn't have to wait long before a surface search aircraft screamed over them with roaring jets as it banked hard towards the Dreadnaught ten miles from them. "We can't close in these conditions, Riley." Iain told him. "We'll have to wait out for more decent weather."

"We figured we might have to." Riley nodded as the lights became visible even to Logan and Iain in the room. As they crept closer the lights took the shape of flood lights and thus the structure started to take form. It looked even larger than the schematics had lead them to believe.

It was a true testament to human engineering, larger than any other artificial floating object ever conceived.

And for five hundred and thirty-one transgenics and seven humans it was a new home. One that most of them had never dreamed of one day having.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The End**


End file.
